Equestria At War
by Stammis
Summary: With Celestia's death and Luna's disappearance, Twilight and Cadence are forced to shoulder the responsibility of protecting the Kingdom. The battle against the griffons had been long and arduous, but after years of struggle, they are finally about to push the griffons out of Equestria. But many questions still remains: Why did Celestia die? And where had Luna gone?
1. Chapter 1 - Glory to the Victor

_Somewhere in Canterlot_

* * *

The room was small and dimly lit in some corner of the castle. The mane six, Cadence and Shining Armour stood frozen by a bed and watched as Celestia murmured her final words to Twilight. Celestia groaned weakly as she focused all her strength into her horn, the light from it casting shadows on the walls. Twilight squeaked faintly as the magic transferred into her, surrounding her in a yellow light. Luna stood by the door and her body trembled as the little life that was left in Celestia drained away. Unable to witness her final moment, she exited the room, and moments later, she could hear the ponies wallow through the door.

Without letting the sorrow paralyse her, she took a controlled breath and walked slowly through the hall. On the way, she stopped by one of the windows and stared at the moon. The moon which she hadn't bothered setting as the sun would remain under the horizon until Twilight learns how to control it.

As the thought of Celestia never raising the sun again entered her mind, tears began pouring down her cheeks, soaking her fur until it dripped onto the floor. Finding her vision blurry, she crumbled on the ground. With all her might, she tried to suppress her feelings, trying to stay regal, but it was no use as all the sorrow and longing escaped her in one heart-piercing shriek, shattering the windows around her.

Twilight and the others stormed out of the room and rushed towards her, but they halted as Luna's gaze shone with hatred, freezing them on the spot. There was only contempt in her heart then and Luna dashed out one of the windows, disappearing into the darkness of the night.

* * *

Chapter 1

* * *

The wind blew strongly against her face as she soared through the sky, her vision obstructed by a thick cloud surrounding her. Frost formed on her mane, making the cold air chill through her coat, her movements feeling stiff and unresponsive. But as she reached above the clouds, she felt the sun's warming light rejuvenate her, melting the frost and making her body flexible again. With closed eyes and facing the sun, she took a deep breath in an effort to stop her shivering.

Through the clouds, more ponies appeared, placing themselves in formation around her. Her chest swelled with pride as she looked at them. Hundreds upon hundreds of Pegasi hovering just above the clouds, waiting for orders. She recognised a few of them and they nodded confidently as their eyes met.

Though none of them were any great fliers, she knew that they had an important part to play. She glanced down her legs and the metal shoes gleamed in the sunlight, temporarily blinding her. She shuddered at the thought of the spiked metal crashing into the enemy, breaking both bones and armour on the impact.

She could feel how the armour weighed on her back legs, forcing her to put extra effort behind every flap of the wings. But she had trained for this and she managed to keep above the clouds. The most difficult part was over after all, and now, she would let gravity do the work for her.

As she tried to steady her breath, she recalled her early days of flying. It had taken until the embarrassing age of 14 until she could finally lift from the ground at any significant altitude. But even then she had been all but graceful. By then, she had long abandoned the dream of flying toe to toe with Rainbow Dash and had accepted her disability.

As they hovered and waited for orders, Scootaloo's mind drifted towards the time before the war, when the Cutie Mark Crusaders toured Equestria, aiding whoever needed their help in discovering their special talents. But their travels had ended abruptly as the war began…

Lost in thought, Scootaloo almost missed when Rainbow Dash appeared through the clouds, exchanging words with one of the other officers. Scootaloo shook her head. This was no time to reminisce, and she tensed her body, ready to be given a command. It was difficult enough to hover at this altitude, but adding the weight of their gear, it took its toll faster than she expected. She could see others struggling as well.

Scootaloo glanced down and imagined the enemy underneath the clouds. Her heart was in her throat as the silence and the stillness dragged on. Finally, another pegasus peeked her head through the cloud and approached Rainbow Dash with a tense look on her face. Scootaloo looked in awe at the rainbow coloured pony, her face grown stern after years of war.

As Rainbow Dash spun around and turned towards them, she raised her forelegs over her ears. Scootaloo stiffened and made ready for the signal. Rainbow Dash glanced down her hooves and then looked intently back at them all. Only the flapping of their wings was heard.

Rainbow Dash made a sharp nod at them, and they nodded back, equally as sharp. Seconds later, she lowered her hooves and Scootaloo clenched her wings and forelegs to her body. In moments she was below the clouds, descending quickly with her back legs first.

The wind soared through her mane and with her heart racing, she glanced downwards. A mass of steel flew below them, and she adjusted her aim towards the centre of it. She continued to fall and she could see that they had already been detected. The enemy below tightened their formation and raised their shields against them. From her view, it looked like a silver plate hovering in the sky as the shields were raised in perfect symmetry. But it did not matter, for they had gravity on their side. She swallowed dryly as she saw enemy spears raised between the cracks of the shield wall. They were impossible to avoid, and only luck would determine if she would be impaled or not.

Above her, there was a short scream, followed by a thumping noise. She did not look up because she knew what it was. Relaxing even the slightest can cause the wings to extend by a little, and that was all it took for the wind to grab hold you and have you tumble into your comrades next to you. She had seen this in training before. It often only resulted in a concussion, but at this speed and altitude…

She dismissed the thought and held her breath as the shields drew closer. She bent her legs and back slightly, to reduce the stress the impact would have on her body.

With a deafening clang of metal against metal, the shield shattered under her hooves, and in a fraction of a second, she could see the fear in the griffon's eyes. Bones cracked and the griffon shrieked in pain as they descended together below the formation.

She extended her wings and looked as the griffon fell helplessly towards the ocean below. She had triumphant. Her heart was beating out of her chest. But her triumph was short-lived as blood streak along the sky next to her and impaled ponies tumbled along with their enemy.

She looked away and tried to harden herself from the cries of help from the injured ponies that just barely stayed afloat. There was nothing she could do, she told herself, as she could feel her own breath fading.

The armour on her left back hoof was all but shattered and she removed the other to regain balance. Her task was complete, it was now up to the elite fighters.

She jerked her head upwards and saw the griffons' formation scatter. Dogfights between individual soldiers rage all around, like enraged bees defending their home. It was chaos.

She could feel her breath deepening and she knew she had to return to base. But as she prepared herself, a loud bang echoed over hear head, and with a strained neck, she glanced upwards again. A rainbow coloured circle expanded above her, scattering the remaining griffon forces. She raised her hoof in triumph as she had no breath to cheer. Slowly she descended towards the coast, towards Baltimare.

* * *

Castle Hollow

* * *

The castle echoed sadly as Twilight trotted over the marble floor. All the windows were barred, shattered from a battle long ago. They had not bother fixing them as such resources and manpower were needed elsewhere and it made the castle feel more gloomy, more empty, than ever before.

However, she was far from alone. Though most of the servants had been sent away to work for the cause, they had been replaced by guards' who now occupied every corner of the castle. What's more, the guards' armour were no longer gold and their coats no longer white, but painted in grey and black. It was made for camouflage - made for war.

Twilight nodded at one of the guards' in front of her who opened a large door next to him. A large room, illuminated by the moon, extended before her, with a round table at the centre. The door was shut carefully behind her as the moonlight streamed through the cracks on the barred windows. After a few moments, the tip of her horn flashed slightly, making the candles placed around the room light simultaneously; revealing a map stretched out on the table.

Twilight hunched over the map and scanned the eastern front, making sure she hadn't neglected anything in her plans. As far as she knew, the battle still raged over the waters of Baltimare, and she could not rest until she received news of its outcome.

With her eyes fixated on the map, her expression hardened as her eyes drifted towards the Griffon Kingdom over the ocean. It had taken many years before they were able to push the griffon's back to the coast, yet they had stubbornly refused to give up Baltimare, forcing her to sacrifice more lives than she cared to reflect on. It had been the griffons base of operation for many years; losing it would mean the end of their campaign.

A chill went down her spine as she remembered the attack that took them all by surprise, right after Celestia's death and Luna's disappearance - when they were the most vulnerable. Twilight and Cadence was thrown into responsibilities neither of them was prepared for, much less able to act on in the face of an invasion. But, somehow, they managed to keep everything from falling apart. Somehow she managed to learn how to control the sun, though Equestria had been shrouded in darkness for a few days while she'd trained.

How the griffons knew when to attack and why, she did not know. But the timing was impeccable, too perfect for it to be anything but a coincidence.

She swore that if she found out they had anything to do with Celestia's death, she would personally burn their kingdom to the ground. She knew that she could, that she had the power to end this war. But no matter how she looked at it, no matter how many ponies that had to risk their lives, it would be irresponsible to risk the fate of every living creature in this world when she controlled the very sun in the sky, and therefore, all life on the planet. Who would replace her if she died?

The table trembled as her anger grew and she forced herself to calm. Her powers were still overwhelming at times and she did her best to keep levelheaded, but it was not easy without guidance, guidance she wished Luna had provided.

Every time she closed her eyes, she could see the glare that Luna gave before disappearing. She honestly feared that she would once again turn into Nightmare Moon. But her fears seem to be unfounded as the moon was still raised and lowered every day, like clockwork. She had to believe in her, she told herself. Believe that wherever she was, whatever she was doing, it was more important than anything else going on.

She looked past the map then, letting her mind drift freely. But her reverie was broken as a stallion burst into the room who bowed deeply before Twilight.

"What is it?" she said wearily without taking her eyes off the map.

"Princess, we have reports that the Yaks have left the mountains and are preparing to invade the Crystal Empire."

Twilight smiled wryly, knowing that she had done the right thing to send Cadence to bolster their forces at the northern border. She knew first-hand how unpredictable the Yaks were, how easily they get into the mindset of war.

"Now, how do we deal with the Zebras?" she said aloud while dismounting the table.

The stallion remained by the door and stood stiffly as Twilight trotted back and forth murmuring to herself. After several minutes, the stallion, cleared his throat which made Twilight wake up from her strategising. "Oh, you are dismissed," she said, and the stallion bolted out of the room.

Twilight shook her head in amusement as she saw the stallion disappear. It was a lonely existence, being a ruler. Despite this, she was one of the Elements of Friendship…

A bitter taste engulfed her tongue as she recalled her old castle in Ponyville and the map that had sent them on mysterious missions. The map had told Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash to restore friendship in the Griffon Kingdom. It hadn't turned out as the table predicted… or maybe it did. Listening blindly to an unknown entity was ludicrous to begin with. Yet they followed its every command.

It was far too naive to think friendship could solve everything. Though her heart still longed for those blissful days with her friends, and she knew life could never be the same again. Despite this, she knew friendship had served her well in the past, an important cornerstone of pony culture, one that unites them and is far too precious to give up. It was a fine line - a line that must be tread carefully.

The sad thing was that both she and Celestia knew about the greed of the griffons, recorded in the "Journal of the Two Sisters". But how the new king acquired such power to challenge them, she did not know. It was madness enough to challenge a species that literally control the weather! But, they were able to nullify their lightning, and most surprisingly, the strength of the griffon wings made the storms they cast almost useless. They had prepared well for this war… but not well enough it seemed.

With a loud sigh, she exited the map room, content with her preparations for the night and headed down the hallway, towards the throne. As she sat on it, happy memories began flooding in and her body began to tremble. A tear fell down her cheek as she crouched weakly on the chair; wanting to fall asleep so that she could finally wake up from this nightmare.

* * *

Back to Safety

* * *

The westward wind blew over the Celestial Sea, allowing Scootaloo to glide safely towards the coast. Sweat trickled down her forehead but the cold wind blew mercifully on her face, cooling her exhausted body. Her wings trembled from the effort to stay afloat and she could feel her breath deepening even further. But she knew that once the ruins of the city came into view, she would be able to rest.

An hour went by and she finally saw the crumbled buildings of the once tall and majestic city. She scanned the rooftops, looking for the red cross that was marked on every building with a medical team present. Finding several, she veered to the left, choosing the one closest to her. She felt as if her wings would snap at any moment. As she approached the building, a light-purple glow engulfed her body, stopping her mid-air. With a sigh of relief, she let her body loll and the adrenaline coursed through her veins, causing her body to ache as it began to recuperate.

Now being carried above the roofs, she looked around the crumbled buildings. The dusk light was setting in the east and the unicorns magic sparked in different colours all across the vast city as they caught the returning Pegasi, one by one. Only a few managed to land on their own, and even fewer remained unscratched.

Hovering over one of the many town squares, Scootaloo remembered the city in its heyday, when it was buzzing with life - before the war. She and the CMC had toured Equestrian then, helping whoever needed their talents in awaking cutie marks. Baltimare had been their last stop before the war, and they had found themselves at ground zero of the conflict, making the war personal to them.

The city was now void of civilians, as the ownership of the city had switched hooves twice during the course of the war. The griffons had forced the ponies away back then, and they had done the same with the griffon colonists. The city was now inhabited by civilian volunteers and military personnel, effectively transforming it into a military camp and the first line of defence against the griffon invaders.

Recalling the days of the invasion, Scootaloo found her mind darkening, wishing the most gruesome deaths possible on their adversaries. But she tried to suppressed those thoughts the best she could as the anger tensed her body, straining her unnecessarily. Reaching her destination, she glanced at the rooftop below her, watching as dozens of medical ponies stood waiting with stretchers at the ready or using their magic to catch other returning Pegasi. At the edge of the platform, she could see a light purple unicorn struggling with her magic and a weak smile formed on Scootaloo's face when she saw it was Sweetie Belle that had caught her.

Sweetie Belle's mane curled elegantly down her neck, and she radiated with a sophistication that was otherwise absent in this crude and unwelcoming reality. And as Scootaloo was lowered on the ground, two earth ponies sprung to her aid and placed a stretch underneath her body. With a gasp Sweetie Belle released her magic and Scootaloo fell gently onto the stretch. She moaned faintly as she did and Sweetie Belle rushed next to her while panting deeply. Scootaloo offered a smile, trying to reassure her that she was okay but was unable to before she was lifted off the ground and rushed inside the building.

"Thank goodness you are alive." Sweetie Belle said between her breaths while trotting next to her.

"Of course!" Scootaloo exclaimed, "I promised I would be, didn't I?"

Being rushed down the building and hastily placed on a mattress on the first floor, she grit her teeth in pain, a pain that seemed to reach out to every limb.

The inside of the building smelled like blood, faeces and urine, all mixed together. Ponies groaned and wailed all around her as they lay waiting for treatment or being treated.

Sweetie Belle began examining her body, touching along her back.

"Have you heard anything from Applebloom?" Scootaloo asked.

"No," she answered bluntly, without taking her eyes off Scootaloo's body.

As Sweetie Belle pressed a certain spot on Scootaloo's lower back, she hissed in pain and clutched her hooves tightly to her chest. She could not see it then, but Sweetie Belle shook her head slowly as she continued the examination down her back legs. But she did not have to look for long before she found what was wrong, and Sweetie Belle let out a gasp as she found a crack on Scootaloo's left hoof. Sweetie Belle levitated the hoof closer to her face, but Scootaloo forced her leg down, dispelling Sweetie Belle's magic and she clutched her back leg to her body. "I can still fight, you know," she said while avoiding Sweetie Belle's gaze.

When no answer came, she glanced towards Sweetie Belle and her heart was in her throat as she was faced with two weary and glistering eyes. Scootaloo stammered on. "N-no, really. I can still fight, see—" Scootaloo shrieked in pain as she tried to get out of bed, tumbling back on the mattress.

With a grim expression, Sweetie Belle helped her to get comfortable and said. "It is not just your hoof, Scootaloo, your back…" her breath stuck in her throat as she could not trust her voice to keep steady.

"What? What is it?" Scootaloo demanded.

"You don't have to fight anymore!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed. "You have done your part. The griffons no longer occupy any Equestrian land. There— there is nothing to fight for anymore… We've won." Her last sentence came out a whisper.

Panicked, Scootaloo's eyes flicked back and forth. "But… there must be something you can do! I got to help, I-I need to be there with Rainbow Dash."

Without warning, Sweetie Belle suddenly embraced her, hugging her tightly while her body trembled. "It's over Scootaloo, you've done your part. Don't die on me, please?"

Scootaloo could feel the disappointment surging within her. Tears trickled down her cheeks, staining the fur on Sweetie Belle's shoulder.

"Why does it always have to be like this?" Scootaloo cried. "I just want to make her proud."

"I know dear, I know…"

While they embraced each other in silence they looked up as they heard commotion down the hall, and from the doorway, Rainbow Dash entered the room. Scootaloo's body stiffened in reflex and Sweetie Belle stood up by the bed, ready to receive their commander. Rainbow Dash looked grimly around the room before she walked between the beds, wishing quick recovery to everypony she passed. But as her stern looking face landed on Scootaloo, she grinned widely, showing metal in her mouth. The metal had completely replaced her original teeth, so that she could more easily grab weapons out of the enemy claws. She looked menacing, Scootaloo thought, even though she knew she grinned cheerfully and even though she herself was happy to see her.

"I knew you would survive," Rainbow Dash said with a commanding tone in her voice.

Standing by the bed, Rainbow Dash turned to Sweetie Belle and nodded. "Sweetie Belle."

"Good evening Commander," she replied.

Rainbow Dash smirked and put her foreleg around her neck. "You're always so formal. You are becoming more and more like Rarity, you know…" She stopped herself, tightening her lips and looked to the floor. There was an awkward silence then. The death of Rarity had been unexpected, just like this war. That the griffons had been able to send units all the way to Ponyville at the time was something that nopony could have imagined, thus they had been defenceless during the attack.

As the silence lingered, Scootaloo broke it by asking. "What happened out there, Rainbow Dash? Did we win?"

Rainbow Dash's mouth quirked, happy for changing the subject. "You bet we did! Good job soldier! If we could just go into their territory, then we could end this once and for all."

Scootaloo's eyes widen and she gawked at Rainbow Dash. "B-but…"

Rainbow Dash waved her hoof airily. "Yes, yes, I know what Twilight have said. Still, compassion in all its glory, it will not win us any wars. But did you see my Sonic Rainboom?! Oh man, that was my biggest yet. It shattered their lines completely. I tell you if I could just get a little more altitude…" she suddenly interrupted herself and looked embarrassingly to the floor. "Anyway… You get better soon, you hear? We need you up there," she said, turning around and leaving the room.

Sweetie Belle raised her hoof to say something, but Scootaloo interrupted her. "You know it, Rainbow Dash!"

Sweetie Belle looked with terror at Scootaloo who laid back on the mattress, avoiding Sweetie Belle's gaze. "You heard her. They need me. Now let me get some sleep, I need to regain my strength."


	2. Chapter 2 - The Apple Family

Chapter 2

* * *

The morning sun shone through the branches of the trees, creating streaks of light that made the apples glimmer in the dew. The air was sweet and her senses swam with nostalgia as she saw Sweet Apple Acres in the distance. Despite years of war, the farm looked virtually the same, save for the hundreds of grey tents surrounding the lowlands around it.

It was difficult to believe that her siblings alone had been able to harvest such a vast amount of trees, all by themselves. Work that had taken months now took but a week thanks to the hundreds of extra hooves that bucked away; the sounds of their hooves hitting against wood echoing rhythmically around her. Of course, back then, time was never an issue, and they could afford to work at their own pace. But the war demanded supplies at much higher efficiency and there was no time to lallygag.

A part of her wished there were Unicorns, or even Pegasi, among the workers, knowing that the harvest would be done much quicker if they had. But their kind was needed elsewhere, in the field of war; especially against an enemy that knew how to fly. Besides, another part of her was glad to be surrounded by her own kind, doing that which they did best, to work with nature.

With confidence and authority, Apple Bloom trotted through the field, remembering every patch of dirt on her way. It was as if she had never left those many years ago. The workers averted their gazes as she passed them by, afraid of being subject to her scrutiny. However, she was not there to check on their progress and she ignored them as she scanned the field. Her eyes drifting towards a small hill to her left, she saw a blonde mare kicking away at one of the trees at the top.

Her mind turned to gloom as she saw Applejack struggle with that one tree, barely able to kick more than a few apples of its branches. Apple Bloom set her jaw and walked hastily up the hill.

At the top, their eyes met. But Applejack turned her head and began kicking at the tree anew, now much harder. Apple Bloom noticed how the tree barely swayed and how Applejack's breath deepen at every kick.

With some hesitation she finally said. "You should take a rest, Applejack. You know we have more than enough help with the harvest."

Without stopping to kick at the tree, Applejack hissed beneath her breath. "I don't need no military type to tell me what I can't I cannot do with my own gosh darn farm, missy! Now, leave me alone, I have work to do, unlike some ponies," she said while giving her a cold glance.

Apple Bloom narrowed her eyes as she could feel frustration grow within her. But, as she wanted to come to terms with her sister, she loosened her formal exterior and let her old accent re-emerged. "Sis, please. I'm just looking out for ya…"

With a loud bang, the tree cracked under Applejack's hooves, making Apple Bloom wince and gawk in surprise. Half-broken, the tree bent sadly in the opposite direction and apples landed around them, rolling down the hill. Applejack swore beneath her breath and picked up one of the buckets with her mouth and headed down towards another tree, never acknowledging her sister.

With a controlled breath Apple Bloom remained by the broken tree, standing stiffly and watching as Applejack limped down the hill; clearly showing the damages of time. She opened her mouth to say something but didn't trust her words to come out steadily, so she hesitated. Standing in indecision, she noticed the work had stopped around her, and only the bucking from far away could be heard in the distance.

Apple Bloom could not show weakness around the workers, she knew, so she drew another breath, collecting herself before shouting firmly. "I'm sorry I wasn't there when you needed me," the shouted, coming out weakly even so.

Applejack stopped abruptly and seemed to hesitate, but she didn't look over her shoulder and just continued down the road - to another tree that needed bucking.

* * *

Haunting of the Past

* * *

Ponyville had seen a lot of changes since her arrival. Setting up tents for the workers and military personnel; not to mention the construction of bulwarks and control towers on the roads and around town. There was a lot of personnel to accommodate, mostly military, but also the additional workers at the apple orchard.

Applebloom knew that if it hadn't been directly requested by Princess Twilight, Applejack would have never have allowed such a transformation. Which hurt more than she expected it to. Their sisterhood damaged by years of separation.

Applejack would never understand what she had gone through, the decisions she had to make, she thought disgruntledly. She would never understand…

The sentence lingered in her mind as she walked through the field, stopping only to stare at the half-collapsed barn next to her. It was being repaired and she imagined the damaged must have been far greater back then. Who knew that the griffons would go this far? To pillage the countryside while they heading towards Canterlot.

With a sigh, she broke from her reverie and trotted inside the main building of the house. Though she had changed a lot, the house was exactly as she remembered it, and it would stay that way per her orders. To her, the house was to be kept as a memento of time lost and a favour to her sister. She wondered if she appreciated it.

Stepping off the welcoming mat, she heard Granny Smith's nasally voice shrill through her mind.

Apple Bloom! dry those hooves, will ya. I ain't cleaning to floor twice today.

Taken aback by the clarity of the voice, she let her hoof hover over the floor, listening intently for more.

When none came, a sad smile grew on her face and old memories began flooding in. Now, with her hoof cleaned, she could see Granny Smith's ghostly appearance in her mind's eye, arguing with Big Mac. She remembered the argument well, not how it started, but how unnecessary and drawn out it had been. With Big Mac answering with his two-word vocabulary and with Granny Smith's senility…

Somehow, she could not finish the thought and her breath stuck in her throat. Maybe it was not such a good idea to leave everything intact after all, too many memories from the days of old.

As she felt something grace her side, she winced in an extended motion as one of the staff walked passed her in the hall. Flustered, she quickly collected herself and pretended to stare at something through the window. When the mare disappeared around the corner, she clobbered herself in the forehead and cursed beneath her breath.

Why am I all jittery all of a sudden?

Taking a controlled breath, she turned and saw Applejack standing by the stairs, watching her from the second floor. Feeling particularly humiliated, Applebloom thinned her lips and stiffly turned round the corner, entering the kitchen where a map of the region had been laid out.

Other ponies in uniforms stood in attention as she walked inside, but she quickly waved airily with her hoof, urging them to continue with whatever they were doing. Applebloom glanced down the map and watched with satisfaction the different markings on the map, signifying outpost and other bulwarks set up under her supervision. Engineering was her forte, always had been, and it was no surprise that she was accepted into the Engineer Corps. Though she never expected to rise through the ranks quite as far as she did, commanding not only the workers, but soldiers as well.

The war had changed a lot in her, she had to admit. Perhaps most out of the CMC. She recalled the day when she heard of the attack on Ponyville. She and her friends were stationed in Canterlot at the time. She wanted to be with her family then, she really did. But her friends needed her too and she believed she would do greater good at the heart of the conflict.

Secretly, she was there to make up with this betrayal, and for the genuine urge of seeing her sister again. Besides, she could not do much for them in Baltimare, seeing as she was an earth pony and all.

Maybe it was naive of her to think that Applejack would forgive her for abandoning her in her grief.

With a shake of her head, she was determined not to let the gloom take a hold of her heart again and she turned her attention to the Everfree Forest that was marked on the map.

"Where are you Zecora?" she whispered to herself.

Deep in thought, she was dispelled as a stallion rushed inside and stood attention at the door. "At ease," Apple Bloom said without taking her eyes off the map.

"Commander, we've got reports of a new wave of refugees approaching from the south. What are your orders?"

Applebloom narrowed her eyes and hesitated on the table. She knew the reason for the Zebra influx and she sympathised with them, however, there were simply not enough supplies to go around; their customs too different, and their numbers too many. It was either them or us, and that was the sad truth of it.

As she hesitated, she could feel Applejack's eyes peer down her neck. "What is it, Applejack?" she said wearily, not in the mood to deal with her sister.

"What are you going to do?" She asked blankly.

"What do you think? I can't risk the rebels gaining reinforcements. They will have to go someplace else," she answered without hesitation.

"There is nowhere else, and you know it," Applejack said calmly, her face remaining blank.

Apple Bloom let out a long breath, refusing to look at her sister. "Look, I am not going to argue with you. You have no authority here, so go back to bed and let us handle this."

"Is that any way to talk to your sister?"

Apple Bloom craned around and scowled at her sister. "So we are sisters now? humph, I hadn't noticed."

"You can't drive them away Apple Bloom. Think of Zecora, she's your friend."

The table cracked under her hoof as she heard her utter the name and she turned to face her sister. "She ceased to be my friend the moment she joined those rebel scum!" she hissed inches from Applejack's face, whose expression remained unchanged.

With a soft voice, Applejack said. "You know what the right thing to do is. If you are still me sister, you will know this too."

Apple Bloom grit her teeth and walked hesitantly around the room. The messenger at the door stood anxiously and watched before he mustered the courage to ask. "What are your orders, ma'am?"

With a quick and defiant glance at her sister she finally said. "Drive them away. Our country's motto may be compassion, but at desperate times calls for desperate measures."


	3. Chapter 3 - Team Fluttershy

Chapter 3

* * *

The warmth and humidity strained Fluttershy as she trudged along the densely grown forest, soaking her fur until it trickled down her body. Great roots swirled in her path, making the exploration even more difficult. Circled around her, stallions walked with confidence and skill despite the undergrowth, peering in every direction, ready to defend her if needed be.

Stopping at a gap between two roots, she scanned the distance. Hesitant, she glanced at her protectors who rolled their eyes, some sighing loudly at her indecision. Gritting her teeth, she extended her wings, but they became tangled in the surrounding branches, making it impossible to fly without getting stuck.

Fluttershy's brows furrowed and she steeled herself to jump, determined not to be a burden. With a great leap, she jumped the distance, landing safely on the other side. But she struggled to keep balance on the initial landing and wobbled back and forth before her hooves were planted firmly on the root. Her confidence soared and she leered at the muddy ground below - that she had fallen into so many times before.

Suddenly, the leaves rattled above her head which pulled the attention away from the ground. She jerked her head up in anticipation, whispering faintly the language she had come to understand those many years ago. The Stallions froze on the spot, as well, and didn't move a muscle.

Moisture, collected on her mane which ran down her face, tickling her nose as she stared motionless. But she ignored it and kept her eyes fixated on the branches above, determined to lure out the creature behind the leaves. But as nothing came and time dragged on, one of the stallions walked up to her and said in a firm voice. "Ms Fluttershy?"

Startled, she backed up and fell off the giant root and landed in the mud below. With haste and skill, the guard threw himself down after her, caring not for the mud that caked on their fur and hooves afterwards. "Ms Fluttershy! Are you alright?" he asked, eyes wide and filled with concern.

The stallion's muzzle was flat, for a pony, and he had a great white mark on his fur, reaching from his forehead to his jaw, making it look like one continues scar. Fluttershy had at first found him scary looking, but as she found herself staring into his eyes, she flushed and quickly rose to her four legs by herself.

"Y-yes, I'm fine…"

"… sorry." she added, keeping her gaze on the ground.

"I'm the one who is sorry. I shouldn't have snuck up on you."

Silence dragged on between them as the stallion helped her remove the mud on her wings and mane. Finally, he cleared his throat and continued. "Ahem… we should get back to camp before night falls," he said and hunched over before her, allowing her to climb up on his back and get back on the root. She was hesitant to step on him, but she saw his determination and she managed to climb back on the root. Watching the stallion being helped up by his comrades, she thought he had been especially kind to her and she figured it was because if his sense of duty rather than any feelings towards herself; regardless she appreciated his concern.

As if knowing he was being watched, the stallion turned around and saw Fluttershy staring at him. She flushed and hid her face in her mane. The soldiers around them smiled and murmured at each other. The scarred stallion, however, took a breath and bellowed at his unit. The soldiers responded immediately, their bodies trained like machinery to react at their leader's commands.

Fluttershy looked with amusement at the display but soon found herself back into the gloom of her mind. On the way back, her mind raced with concerns and questions, and mostly disappointment. She had been tasked to gather information about the dragons by the Dragon's Lair, but already several months had passed with almost nothing to show for it. The Breezies had been her best chance to gather information as they are the only creatures, that they know of, that are allowed to pass through the Dragon's territory undisturbed.

Her heart sank as she remembered the Breezie migration several years ago, when nopony were able to aid them, expect herself. Not every Breezie made it that time. As a result, even fewer made the migration the year after that. It didn't surprise her that they hadn't found any Breezies yet, but she was confident in her abilities and she wanted to be useful to the cause.

Trotting closely behind the scarred stallion, a thought emerged that she had tried to ignore many times before: what if the Breezies had become extinct? what if they never dared to make the migration, to begin with? Dooming them all to starvation. She didn't want to believe it and she could feel how tears welled in her eyes just from the thought.

As they got closer to the camp, a light shone in her eyes as a giant leaf lifted from her face, breaking her depressing reasoning. Before her, the camp stretched out along the coast, at the edge of a cliff, near the roaring ocean below; and the dusk sun was shining its last rays of the day at the horizon. The beautiful sight cheered her a little, and she suppressed her gloomy thoughts once again, convincing herself that there was still time before the Breezies would traditionally begin the migration north, giving her a chance to find them - and help them.

As they approached the camp, a pink coloured mare jumped energetically towards them; the guards firm expressions softened as she did and they braced themselves for the high-pitched voice of Pinkie Pie.

"Welcome back every pony!" she cried. "Hope you're hungry. My super fantastical sisters have made our family speciality, just for us!"

"Don't tell me it's rock soup again!" one of the guards exclaimed.

With raised eyebrows, Pinkie Pie responded. "Do you have Pinkie senses too?! What more is it telling you? Should I watch out for something?" she said, darting her head around nervously.

The stallions' laughed as they removed their helmets, placing themselves by the fire at the centre of the camp.

Fluttershy, stood in the back, grinning awkwardly and walked to the other side of the camp with nopony noticing. She placed herself facing the ocean, watching the sun disappear behind the rock formation known as the Dragon's Lair. The sky turned purple as she sat there, reminding her of the tones of Twilight's mane.

At first, she had been thrilled to receive this mission, having been utter useless in the war effort so far. Her fright of dragons, she still had, but it was nothing of what the others had to go through daily, she thought.

She remembered the day when the dragons began gathering at their lair, hundreds of dragons flying over their heads. She had been terrified. It happened during the siege of Canterlot too, bad omens piling on top of each other.

But, as the war seemed to finally go their way, Twilight wanted to know what the dragons were up to and sent her to this corner of the world. Her ability in talking with animals was the best intel that they could gather, but she had been reluctant at sending her bird friends too close to the Dragon's Lair, only providing limited information.

Poor Twilight, she thought. On top of everything, Spike disappeared shortly after she was sent on her mission. Twilight was devastated, she had heard. Going so far as to claim the dragons kidnapped him, and she had asked her to bring him back. Every pony knew that Spike once was the Dragon Lord for a brief time and that he knew the current Dragon Lord personally. It was clear that Spike had gone out of his way to gather the information Twilight sought. But that was months ago and there have been no words from him sense.

As the sun finally disappeared beneath the horizon, Fluttershy winced as a bowl of soup was placed under her nose. Pinkie Pie with her pink curly locks sat next to her, giving her a calm and warm smile

"A lot on your mind?" she asked.

Fluttershy nodded softly and stared into the bowl of stone soup. "You really did make stone soup," she said without sarcasm in her voice.

Pinkie Pie lips twisted at the edge of her mouth, trying her best to force the amusement inside of her, but failed as she laughed uncontrollably. Looking confused at first, Fluttershy soon joined in, Pinkie Pie's laughter being infectious.

As their laughter turned into chuckles and they dried their tears, silence soon engulfed them again, saved for the sounds of cheerful bantering at the camp.

"I'm glad Twilight decided to send you with me," Fluttershy suddenly said.

Pinkie Pie grinned. "She knows what's best after all. She is so talented and hardworking. No surprise Celestia made her her heir."

It has been four years since she died, but Fluttershy still winced inside at the mention of Celestia, preferring to ignore it ever happened. She glanced at Pinkie Pie who sat next to her, looking aimlessly ahead, smiling as she always did. She was so much stronger than her, she thought, keeping her eyes fixated on the mare.

But, as she was about to look away, she saw Pinkie Pie's eyes gleam from the torch light, tears that never really welled, yet reflected by the light of the fire. Oddly enough, this made her more confident and she crouched next to her, resting her head on Pinkie Pie's flank. Every pony is coping in their own way, she thought; closing her eyes and let the sounds of the night soothe her to sleep.

* * *

Time's Running Out

* * *

Feeling vibration reach through her body, Fluttershy dart her head up as she awoke in her tent. Still half asleep and with a murky vision, she looked around while items on the ground clattered against each other. As she was about to rise, a deafening sound pierced her ears, and she hid back under the blanket. With her heart beating out of her chest, she kept herself hidden, squeaking faintly beneath her breath.

The calls from the outside were drowned out by the roars as they came in succession and the tent bent under the shock waves, the straps tugging at the ground. In the chaos, Pinkie Pie stormed inside and saw Fluttershy trembled under the sheet. Hunching next to her, Pinkie Pie whispered words of comfort that were muffled by the constant roars. But just feeling Pinkie Pie's breath made her confident and she peaked through the blanket.

They looked at each other, Pinkie Pie offering a smile which gave her enough strength to stand on her own four legs. But as she was about to stand, the white scarred stallion rushed inside, startling her back to a crouch. Pinkie Pie and the stallion exchanged confused looks at each other, but their attention was soon drawn to Fluttershy who still crouched weakly on the ground.

At that moment, she felt her heart tug, feeling anger seethe at her own weakness. Biting her lower lip, she rose with her own power and trotted slowly outside the tent, to the stallions and Pinkie Pie's astonishment. They both hesitated as she exited the tent, but they soon caught up with her and trotted together towards the edge of the cliff.

Outside, they found that a large group had already gathered, staring over the ocean, towards the source of the commotion.

A pillar of fire shot vertically into the sky as they approached, making every pony stagger backwards in shock. As the pillar vaporised, Limestone was the first to regain her composure and said. "That's new…"

"Look at the smoke!" Marble exclaimed. "Do you think they are fighting?"

"No doubt, just look…" she interrupted herself as she saw Fluttershy make her way through the crowd, braving her fears once and for all. Some of the ponies around her turned their attention from the smog ahead and instead glanced at Fluttershy, who is known for running and hiding in these situations. However, she did not acknowledge them and her thoughts went to Spike and his safety.

As the shock of seeing Fluttershy subsided, Limestone turned her attention to a stallion next to her. "Send a report to Princess Twilight immediately. Every pony in Equestria should have heard this by now, but I want you to tell her everything you have seen here - every detail. Is that understood?"

The stallion nodded stiffly and bolted back to the camp. Without changing her stern expression, Limestone then turned to Fluttershy whose eyes flicked as she could not meet her intense gaze. "We are running out of time Ms Fluttershy. I suggest you make your way to the jungle as quickly as you can. There is no telling what might happen next."

Fluttershy nodded slowly, with her eyes at her hooves; her determination wavering as Limestone kept her eyes fixated on her. Another roar echoed around them, freezing Fluttershy on the spot, Limestone's eyes narrowing. Unable to move and feeling Limestone's contemptful stare, Pinkie Pie entered between them, giving Limestone a pleading look. Limestone rolled her eyes and bellowed at the ponies around her to get back to work. Leaving Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie alone at the cliff as the roars and quakes slowly died down.

* * *

Sacrifices of War

* * *

After another unsuccessful day, they returned to camp, their heads lolling in disappointment and exhaustion. Nopony looked or said anything to each other and Fluttershy avoided eye contact the best she could. After yesterday's events, the atmosphere at the camp have completely changed and even Pinkie Pie was hard pressed to find anything to lighten the mood.

Like always, Fluttershy sat alone at the edge of the cliff, looking over the ocean as the sun disappeared behind the Dragon's Lair. As she sat there, she wondered how things became like they are. Their future was supposed to be so much brighter.

Sitting quietly in her own thoughts, she did not notice Pinkie Pie placing herself next to her. Discovering the pink mare, she wondered how long she had been sitting there. She found it odd that her otherwise talkative friend had remained silent and she inclined herself not to let the moment of tranquility pass. But, desperate to make sense of everything that had happened, a question escaped her lips: a question she knew she didn't have an answer to. "Why did Celestia have to die on us?"

Pinkie Pie forced air out her lungs and quirked her mouth as she met Fluttershy's almost pleading gaze. Pinkie Pie knew that she could either tell the truth, or tell her what she wanted to hear, but being worn down herself, she answered bluntly. "I don't know. Maybe she died from old age? Maybe it was just not visible. I mean she was flesh and blood, after all, the end comes to us all sooner or later."

Unsatisfied, Fluttershy stared down her hooves.

"Some earlier than others…" she whispered beneath her breath.

Pinkie Pie's lips flattened and she placed her foreleg over Fluttershy's shoulder. "Nopony blames you for what happened. Rarity wouldn't either. You know that, don't you?"

Pinkie Pie could feel how Fluttershy's body began to tremble and she held her tightly as if trying to stop her from shaking.

The moment was theirs until the sun finally disappeared over the horizon and they heard hoof steps closing in behind them. Pinkie Pie craned around while still holding Fluttershy tightly as she saw Limestone approach them from the camp. She stopped a distance away and said with a commanding tone. "Ms Fluttershy. We need to talk."

Pinkie Pie, still craned around, shook her head deniably, urging Limestone to leave them alone.

Limestone's eyes widen and with her jaw set, she shouted. "No, not later! This is serious, we need results now! You cannot protect her forever, Pinkie Pie. We have a mission that we have to fulfil, no matter what. Don't you realise what's at stake?"

Pinkie Pie rose calmly and whispered to her sister, but Limestone would have none of it and pushed her aside. Limestone glared at Fluttershy who's back remained turned, her head looking as she listened to limestone's demands. "I am sorry, Fluttershy. But I am going to have to ask you to get over your kindness and send your birds, turtles, or any critter that can aid us, I don't care. As long as you can provide results."

Suddenly, Fluttershy's body stopped trembling and she became stiff as a board. "I can't do that," she hissed.

"What was that?" Limestone demanded.

Fluttershy rose and faced Limestone who challenged her stare. "I cannot do that," she retorted with emphasis on every word.

The two ponies stood facing each other and Pinkie Pie's head darted between them, unsure what to do. She knew that Fluttershy had her tendencies when getting mad, but she also knew what happens when you provoked Limestone…

Expecting a heavy retort back, Pinkie Pie raised an eyebrow in surprise as Limestone suddenly began chuckling. "So you do have some backbone, Fluttershy. I've heard about it, but I didn't think I would ever see it." Pausing for a few seconds to correct her collar, she continued. "But tell me this, when it comes to your animals, are you really willing to risk the lives of your friends?"

Before she was able to answer, Limestone went on. "Every creature is risking their lives in this war, Fluttershy, it is not just about you. What do you think will happen if they dragons suddenly attack and we aren't ready? Do you think any living creature would be spared?"

Pinkie Pie could see the hesitation in Fluttershy's eyes, flicking back and forth, raising her left hoof to her chest as Limestone closed the distance. Now inches from her face, Limestone said. "You better snap out of it, or we are all going to die. Pony or critter. This is now their war too."

Finally, Fluttershy's hardened expression faded and she hunched weakly before Limestone's authority who kept glaring at her. But as she was about to add something, her words died on her lips as she noticed something in the distance.

The shriek of a falcon echoed by the coast and all three of them turned their attention towards it. Behind the bird, a stream of red and yellow reached up to it, vaporising the animal into dust. Frozen in fear, they watched as the beam of fire drew closer, ready to turn them into vapour as well.


	4. Chapter 4 - Dragon's Lair

Chapter 4

* * *

Soot spurt up from the ground as he landed at the border of the Dragon's Lair. A shuddered went through his body as he did, the charred dead land making him feel uncomfortable. This was the environment his kin thrived in, yet he shunned it as much as anypony would. He couldn't help but feel a bit domesticated, but he knew his friends loved him. This was only the third time in his life that he sat foot on his native land and it has been several years since he helped Ember ascend the throne as Dragon Lord.

Spike puffed the air by instinct and inhaled the soot that still swirled around his face. It was strangely satisfying as the soot coursed through his lungs… one of the many things about himself that he knew nothing about, yet his body did. I should come here more often, he thought. But Twilight had been insistent on having him by his side at all times. He didn't blame her for this, considering all her friends were out in the war, some already dead; she needed at least one constant in her life, which made him feel all the more guilty for disobeying her. A pang of regret struck him as he imagined Twilight worrying all by herself in her gloomy castle. It only now occurred to him that Twilight was afraid that he would never come back, once he returned to his people as an adult dragon, his instincts could overpower him, as it had done many times before. He'd liked to believe he could control such feelings… Regardless, he truly thought he could make a difference. Who else but a dragon could infiltrate a dragon's lair?

As he walked closer to where the throne and assembly was, at least used to be, he could hear a yell voice ahead. He recognised it instantly and hurried forward. As he got closer another voice reached him, this time deep and rumbling, making the earth tremble. The voice was unfamiliar and he approached casually. Arriving at the edge of the amphitheater, he crawled on the ground and scanned his surroundings. At the throne, he saw Ember standing with the Bloodstone Sceptre in her hands. She was glaring at a massive creature across to her. An unfamiliar dragon, at least same size as Lord Torch was. They argued loudly but it didn't seem threatening, so Spike decided to lay low and observe the conversation, as many of the other dragons at the amphitheater did.

Despite his interest in the unfamiliar dragon, he couldn't take his eyes of Ember. She was beautiful, he thought. Her scales curled slenderly around her waist. She had grown a bit, he noticed. Still a bit taller than himself, but not by much. He was still younger after all. As he kept staring at her, he forced his attention to the large "unknown" dragon next to her. The beast's scales were thick and rough. Some cracked around his jaw, making his face look jagged and threatening. Suddenly, the unfamiliar dragon turned his attention from Ember and addressed the crowd:

"Look at yourselves. Big strong dragons taking orders from a little girl. Have you lost your pride and tradition? Only the biggest and strongest dragon can claim the Fiery Throne. It's despicable!"

Ember flew up to his face, holding the sceptre tightly in her hand. "Back off you brute," she said. "We do things differently now. being a ruler isn't about strength, it's about wisdom, wisdom that you severely lack considering you dare to show yourself here again."

The large dragon grinned, amused by her lack of fear. "Your father was strong," he said, "stronger than anyone. He deserved the throne, and I accepted my lot. But now he is gone and there is no-one that can tell me what I can and cannot do. Such a shame none of his greatness has passed on onto you."

Amber growled at the insult, making the sceptre glow. Spike was surprised to hear her voice rivalling the larger dragon's in both tone and power. The Sceptre must aid her by amplifying her voice, he thought. He continued to listen.

The large dragon glanced and narrowed his eyes at the Sceptre. "So this is the proof of your reign? How dull." He tried to pinch it with his massive claws from her hands, but she avoided him and created a distance between them. The large dragon snorted, seemingly uninterested in taking it from her any longer. "I cannot fathom why we have such a thing," he continued. "What use is a sceptre to a being that can breath fire? Our ancestors must have truly gone senile when creating the ridiculous thing."

"Or maybe," Ember reverberated, "they were wise beyond your comprehension, Fiurion…" Ember landed landed by the throne and then pointed the sceptre at Fiurion. "Enough of this! What is your reason for coming here? Or are you just here to argue?"

Fiurion, cackled deeply at her spunk. "No, my dear, Princess," he emphasised, robbing her of the title as Dragon Lord. "I'm here to claim my right as ruler of the swarm. I'm strongest! And I heed you all to listen: It is time to reclaim the sky as our own. For too long have the ponies of Equestria dictated how we live. Preventing us from sleeping where we wanted, to hunt where we wanted. But no more! Celestia is dead, Luna is gone and only her little prodigy remains…" there was a pause, "And only I can take her out."

Spike, still hiding at the edge of the amphitheater, felt a chill down his spin. He was after Twilight's head. Twilight had been right to be cautious after all. And he was glad that he himself hadn't been. Just as he was about to make his way to Fluttershy's camp, he stopped as he heard agreeing cheers down below. It couldn't be… his kin actually supported this stranger's claim? Spike scanned the crowd again, finding, to his relief, that not all seemed so eager to go to war. And most importantly, Ember stood stiffly gritting her teeth, refusing to acknowledge what had been said.

Fired by the crowds support, Fiurion rose to the sky and bellowed that he would return Twilight's head shortly, and then he dashed over Spike's head. Ember stood as if in daze at all that had happened, and Spike watched as the flying calamity moved towards Equestria. He realised there was nothing he could do to warn Twilight in time, but there was something he could do for Ember, he thought, looking at Ember's blank expression, dazed by Fiurion's actions.

Spike hurried down his hiding place and shouted to get Ember's attention as she stood on on the throne above, her head drooping. "Spike!" she cried when seeing him and she flew down to greet him. Spike almost went in for a hug but hesitated as it'd been so long since they last met. But she embraced him quickly and asked. "What are you doing here?"

The dragon subjects murmured as their affectionate display and Spike opened his mouth to answer, but his words died on his lips as he saw Fiurion suddenly veer to the left. He jerked his head around to see where he was heading. Without asking for permission, Spike grabbed the Sceptre while Ember still held it. "I'm sorry," he said. Then they vanished out of thin air - both of them.

* * *

A Dragon's Monologue

* * *

Fiurion couldn't help but feel satisfied with himself. For years he had flown endlessly on the eastern wasteland, a wasteland he was sure his kin had created long ago. As such, much of the land furthest to the east had begun to recover and he found it amusing to devastate it once again, giving tribute to his ancestors antics. It was the duality of a dragon's existence, for they cherished destruction, but when there is nothing to destroy, they felt empty. As empty as he had felt for centuries now. Drifting aimlessly upon lands that was already charred and lifeless.

No matter. He will have his fun again, as soon as he proves his worth by destroying this "Twilight Sparkle". She couldn't be half the protector as Celestia was, and even if she is, he would still try. Dying in battle… what could be more fulfilling?

As his mind drifted, imagining the upcoming fight, a falcon suddenly appeared at the corner of his vision. For a critter to leave its hiding place while he was nearby… there must be something wrong. He turned his head in the direction the falcon flew and at the other end of the ocean, sitting by the cliffs on the continent, a group of ponies stood peering in his direction. Fiurion chuckled with an evil smile on his face. Those crafty ponies, he thought. Fire splurged from the gaps in his teeth and he veered at the ponies direction.


	5. Chapter 5 - Revenge

Chapter 5

* * *

"Spike… Spike!… Where are you?!"

Her shout echoed loudly in the sparsely furnished room, rolling around until she rose to her haunches and stared wide-eyed into the darkness. With heavy breaths it took a few moments before she realised where she was and she slumped back on the bed, her hooves pressed against her forehead.

"Where are you?" she repeated staring wide awake at the ceiling.

With her mind empty, someone knocked at the door. She scowled at it and bellowed that she wanted to be alone. But the knocking wouldn't stop so she rose irritably and opened the door with her magic. "I told you, I'm fi—"

Twilight's words died on her lips when she saw the urgency in the guard's eyes. The guard bowed deeply and said. "Your highness! Pardon my intrusion, but this is urgent."

"Well, what is it?"

"A scout from Team Alfa have returned. The… The dragons. They are on the move."

Twilight staggered when the guard's words sunk in. She looked to the ground, flicking her eyes back and forth as if looking for something. Her worst fears had come to pass. How could this have happened? There was always a small chance the dragons would be a problem, but she never really believed…

Fluttershy… Pinkie Pie…

Twilight's eyes flashed at the guard who remained bowed before her. "What about the rest of the team? Are they okay?"

The guard kept his head low and stayed silent, hesitant to continue. But Twilight, losing her patience, stomped on the floor that snapped the guard from his frozen state.

"…There've been no reports of any survivors, your highness. Only one scout managed to get out alive."

Twilight's body stiffened and she stared blankly down at the guard who remained motionless. The guard asked for further orders, but his voice could not be heard as Twilight's mind escaped into herself; escaping the reality of her grim existence. Suddenly, the ground began to shake and loose stones and gravel hovered around them. The guard backed away, awestruck as Twilight levitated off the ground. Her eyes glowed in pure white. With a shriek of anguish, a beam shot through her body and penetrated the ceiling. Chunks of the roof rained down around them and the guard dashed skilfully out of the way while shouting at his Princess, desperately trying to reach her. But it was futile, her anger was too great and her sadness too painful in having lost more of her closest friends. She extended her wings and with one great dash, she sent herself flying through the hole in the ceiling, screaming at her lungs capacity - her voice reaching miles away.

She did not know what to do with herself and she just hovered above the castle, looking desperately for something to take out her anger on. As if by request, a deep growling echoed in the distance, and then a roar was heard, responding to her cry for vengeance. She turned towards the sound and narrowed her eyes. This all ends tonight, she told herself, and she dashed away at the terrified looks of her subjects in Canterlot.

* * *

 _Hours Earlier_

* * *

One second they were in the middle of the amphitheater, the other they appeared among their pony friends who gawked at their presence. With no time to greet them, Spike bent to one knee and recited an incantation while holding the sceptre firmly in his hand - while Ember dashed her head around in confusion. In doing so, a bubble sprung to existence, surrounding every pony around the sceptre just as the flames reached them, making the ground shake violently. All around them, the sky lit up in orange and yellow, charring everything to charcoal but themselves. All the ponies hunkered in fear as the deafening sound of the dragon's breath continued to hit the shield. Then it stopped. Nopony dared to lift their head until several minutes later, Limetone being the first to look around.

The sky was blurry in a dark blue colour, as if they were under water. Spike continued to recite the words until he was certain the dragon was long gone. The shield receded into the ground and the sky turned normal once again, revealing the charred grass and trees that the shield was unable to reach.

Most ponies had risen by now, gawking and slowly approaching their saviours. When Spike rose to his feet and released his hand of the Sceptre, he choose not to meet Ember's wide eyed look and repeated. "I'm sorry."

Nopony (or dragon) knew what to say then and only Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie approached them, throwing themselves in Spike's arms. "Spike!" they cried.

Spike was now twice as tall as his pony friends and had to kneel down to receive their hugs. "I'm sorry," he said again. "I'm sorry I disappeared without telling."

"Stop saying you're sorry!" Ember suddenly bellowed. "You saved their lives and… what was that!? How…"

Rising to his legs, he released a breath and said. "There is this book we found in Celestia's private library… It told what the sceptre could do and Twilight wanted me to study it. You know, just in case…"

Ember looked quizzically at Spike. "Just in case?"

There was an awkward silence for a while until Limestone entered between them. "I don't mean to interrupt… Or perhaps I do… What was that thing?! Where is it heading?"

Spike and Ember glanced at each other. "We need to talk," they said in unison.

* * *

Revenge

* * *

Long before the beast was sighted, they could hear the roars in the distance, getting closer and closer. Scootaloo caught her heart in her mouth as she saw the silhouette of the beast cover the morning sun. Dust and gravel stirred by her hooves as each wing flap forced wind onto their faces. She and Sweetiebelle could only stare in disbelief at what was coming towards them.

Every pony in the city was silent and motionless. Even the birds seem to freeze in terror at the sight of the abomination of nature. Suddenly, the beast drew breath and an ear piercing roar followed, letting every pony know that this is the end of their mortal lives. Their hearts sank as the sound reached them, forcing them to stagger; but they did not escape, for what could they hope to accomplish by running? Or fighting the winged incarnation of destruction?

Despite this, Scootaloo saw movements at the corner of her eye. A few brave ponies resisted the soul-crushing fear that the roar had emanated, and they did their best to shake some sense into those that remained frozen. Suddenly, Rainbow Dash landed before them and she bellowed at them to move. But Scootaloo and the others stood in a daze, unable to comprehend who or what was calling for them. In desperation, Rainbow Dash grabbed Scootaloo and Sweetiebelle by their tails and tried to drag them away. But her last ounce of hope vanished when she saw a dark light form by the dragon's mouth, growing larger and larger. This was the end, they all thought.

But as the dragon drew another breath, a stream of white light moved across the sky, knocking the dragon back and forcing the flames back into the beast's throat. The dragon was pushed helplessly further away until it crashed into the mountains behind it, the beam of white magic exploding on the impact.

Every pony gawked at the cloud of smoke that began to settle in the distance. What happened? Scootaloo asked herself. Then, with a flash, Twilight appeared before them, hovering between them and the dragon. Twilight was but a purple dot in the distance, but it was clear it was her. For who else could emit such power? but the heir to Princess Celestia herself.

Nopony dared to cheer then. Too recently had they been on the verge of death to feel spirited anew. And they were right to be hesitant, for the beast rose from the rubble of the mountain, growling so deeply that it was felt all the way to the city; pounding at their chests and shaking the ground.

As the beast tried to collect itself from the Twilight's attack, another beam was formed at her horn. A sphere growing larger and larger until it expanded thrice the size of her body. When fully charged, Twilight shot the sphere at the dazed dragon and a mushroom cloud soon formed under it.

Knowing what to come, Scootaloo and the others threw themselves onto the ground, preparing themselves for the shockwave. The trees bent around them and the buildings (that were already damaged) creaked weakly under the pressure. But they held.

They now stood silently and watched as the dust settled in the distance, waiting to see if the dragon would rise again. But the beast was no more and neither was the mountain. Their manes turned grey from the dust that settled around them and Rainbow Dash was first to let out a cheer for Twilight. The rest of the city joined her shortly. Scootaloo, Sweetiebelle and Rainbow Dash tugged at each other playfully, for the relief they felt was unimaginable and they called for Twilight to join them. But she remained hovering a distance away, with her back turned against them. Her wings moved slower and slower until they stopped completely and she began falling head first towards the ground.

Before anypony was fast enough to react to what was happening, Rainbow Dash was already flying to Twilight's rescue, catching her mid-air. They descend slowly towards the ground just outside the city and a large crowd soon formed around them. Scootaloo was one of the last to arrive because of her injury, with Sweetiebelle following loyally next to her. They pushed their way through the crowd until they saw Twilight's limp body in the arms of Rainbow Dash on the grass.

At first, they were afraid to meet Rainbow Dash's gaze, afraid what it would tell. But as they got closer, they saw Twilight's chest expand and recede, though only faintly. The crowd stood respectfully at a distance and only faint murmurs were heard future back for those that could not see. Rainbow Dash sat silently and stroke Twilight's mane lightly. "Incredible," she said. "You're amazing, Twilight."

But the silence did not last and the murmurs grew stronger. Cheerfulness spreading, the ponies could finally throw away the shackles of fear and be happy that they and their Princess was alive. Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo's eyes met and Rainbow Dash smiled wryly, Sweetiebelle nuzzling her muzzle into her neck. But Scootaloo could not shake her concerns away and looked grimly at Twilight. The coat under her eyes was darkened from tears, she noticed. Something had upset her enough to go berserk and something told her that she didn't want to know why.

In the midst of the cheering, a siren yelled back at the city, making every pony jerk their head around. "What's happening?" Sweeitibelle asked.

As if in answer, one in the crowd yelled. "The griffons are attacking!"

Every pony looked to Rainbow Dash then, but she kept her eyes low, at Twilight's unconscious body. After a few moments, she drew breath and puffed at her mane, placing Twilight gently on the grass. "It's useless to counter them now," she said, now surrounded by her officers. "We cannot form an effective line of defence under these conditions. All units, retreat! Twilight's life takes all priority."

The officers nodded sharply and went to the crowd, trying to bring order to the commotion and to relay their orders. But as Scootaloo and Sweetiebelle were about to do the same, they hesitated as Rainbow Dash remained and whispered to one of her commanding officers. Without hesitating, Scootaloo pressed through, with Sweetiebelle shouting at her back.

Before Rainbow Dash was able to leave, Scootaloo went up to her and said. "You're going after them, aren't you?"

Rainbow Dash's brows furrowed. Scootaloo continued. "Some ponies has to sacrifice themselves for the rest to get out alive. Isn't that right, Commander?"

Rainbow Dash's lips moved but no words came out, too stunned to neither deny nor defend her actions. While Rainbow Dash remained speechless, Scootaloo glanced over her shoulder to see Sweetiebelle stand a distance away, looking confused and worried at the same time. She then turned to Rainbow Dash and said. "Go, take her. Twilight needs you. I'll take the last stand. I know I can do it."

Scootaloo could her Sweetiebelle gasp behind her and she rushed between them. "No! Y-you can't. Scootaloo, that will be suicide!"

Choosing to ignore her friend, she stared into Rainbow Dash's eyes. "I'm beyond healing and I'll be useless in this upcoming conflict. Equestria needs your leadership. Please, let me do this for you. For all of you."

She didn't take her eyes of Rainbow Dash who stared sternly back at her. Her eyes began to glisten and she gave Scootaloo a slow nod. Halfway through the nod, Scootaloo was already away, unable to keep herself composed if she'd waited any longer. But, she was stopped mid-air, feeling a tug at her back hoof. She jerked around and saw a light purple cloud of magic surrounding her hoof, and below, Sweetiebelle stood glaring at her. She said. "You come back alive, you hear? Don't you dare sacrifice yourself needlessly." And then she released her. Scootaloo smiled sadly without looking back, her heart in her throat as she flew.

A few dozen ponies had already formed a line of defence as she came. They looked determinedly at her, having seen what transpired and they knew their lot. One more time, they would protect their loved ones. One more time they would soar majestically in the sky. To save their Princess and their comrades on the ground.


	6. Chapter 6 - The Frontiers

Chapter 6

* * *

Over the Celestial Sea, Ember and Spike flew in silence. Ember had not taken the news well of Twilight keeping the Sceptre's secrets hidden from her. Spike noticed how she clutched the Sceptre tightly on their way, refusing him to use it to teleport them back to the Dragon's Lair.

Although he would've preferred to chase after Fiurion and join Fluttershy and the others back to Equestria, something compelled him to stay by Ember's side. Perhaps trying to smooth things over with Ember was a better use of his time than hurrying back to Twilight where he could do nothing.

Even before they reached The Dragon's Lair, they saw dozens of scouts swarming near the coast, looking for their missing Dragon Lord. As they were spotted, horns sounded across the land, telling the others of Ember's return. It seemed as if almost all the dragons of her swarm had gathered at the amphitheatre anew as they landed admits the crowd. Nervously, Spike stood closely to Ember, expecting an angry mob for kidnapping their ruler. But to his surprise, their eyes shone with wonder and questions rained down on him, about how he was able to use the Sceptre so seamlessly.

Not in the mood to indulge her subjects, Ember bellowed to step aside, creating a path for them to a cave at the base the throne. She walked with her chin raised high and a stern look on her face without checking if Spike were following here, confident that he did. The dragons around them stared and murmured as they walked, the display of power resonating with them.

At the cave entrance, the inside went deeper below the mountain, The Sceptre in Ember's hands barely lighting their path. In the depths, their surroundings soon light up in an eerily yellow and orange glow emanating under their feet. Spike could hear a hissing, as well, making him feel uncomfortable and claustrophobic so deep below the mountain. As they reach the end of their path, Ember suddenly stopped and faced him. "Show me," she said while handing him the Sceptre. "Show me more what you can do."

Hesitantly, Spike accepted the sceptre. He stared at the red gem at the tip, the gem glowing like fire raging inside. He bit his lower lip and said. "Twilight didn't mean to go behind your back, Ember. She—"

Ember interrupted him with her hand. "This has nothing to do with her. Show me what you've learned. Or are you truly just her pet?"

He felt a pang at the blunt retort and he staggered a bit at her words. But he knew it was her intention to drive her point across. Spike took a long breath and smiled weakly. It's not about Twilight, she says. Everything he's ever done has been about Twilight, as long as he could remember. The very idea that Twilight had nothing to do with his decisions in life felt preposterous. Maybe he was her pet after all? Yet, somehow, it felt liberating to hear from somebody else that his decisions were his own, that he did things for himself and not anyone else. After a few moments of hesitation, he closed his eyes and murmured a few words at the gem; words that he'd had hard time memorising in Canterlot now sang out smoothly in the presence of another dragon and the land that they were in.

Finishing the incantation, he pressed the tip of the sceptre against the walls; the dark cooled magma heated by its touch, turning into goo and brightening up the room even more in its yellow and orange light. Ember gasped at what she saw, grabbing Spike by his lower arm unconsciously. Feeling her touch against his arm, he wanted this moment to last forever. But, as if the world wanted differently, the walls began to shake, the magma spurting from the wall and hissing as it landed on the cold rock floor. Then, as instantly as it came, it stopped. They looked at each other and bolted out of the cave. Outside, they looked around and saw every dragon staring into the distance, looking at a mushroom cloud rising to the air.

Some of them peered in awe at what they saw, others gritting their teeth in disappointment, and even fewer crying on their knees. There was only one creature that could create such devastation and he couldn't help but smile proudly at the sight.

Fiurion was no more.

* * *

Crystal Frontier

* * *

Surrounded by a magical purple field, Cadence watched as boulders crashed into it, making slight vibrations, like rocks tossed into a puddle of water. The ponies powering the shield grunted from the strain every time a boulder hit the surface, but it wasn't anything that they couldn't handle for they were exceptionally powerful Crystal Ponies, picked carefully for the task.

Cadence shook her head at the futility of the Yak's actions. Their density rivalling even the most thickheaded of golems. They had been at it for hours now and Cadence thought that they would run out of ammunition eventually, or at least their patience would vain soon enough.

Though the Yaks intentions were more than she could understand, Twilight had dealt with them in the past and it was clear they were prone to war. Either they saw their chance for an easy victory as Equestria was weakened after years of conflict, or they had made some sort of deal with the Griffons. Either way, their assumptions were sorely mistaken; Twilight had foreseen this and they had been waiting for them.

Cadence scanned the unicorns who stood in a half circle in front of her, the shield encompassing and protecting her whole army. Cadence could see sweat trickling down their foreheads and their mouths twisted from the effort it took to keep the shield powered. It was time for another swap.

At the frontline Shining Armour trotted along the soldiers, giving words of encouragement at them. Knowing that her words could not reach him at this distance, she sent a spark through her horn that ended up at the tip of her husband's, making him look at her direction. It was a simple spell, yet effective to grab some pony's attention. Cadence made a nod at him and he knew what she meant, bellowing at the reserves to switch places. She smiled wryly at her husband, they could, of course, hold the shield themselves, but then there would be nopony left to manage the forces. And it was never a good idea to use one's triumph card right away.

She sighed loudly as a particularly large rock made the field drum and reverberate loudly around them, the rock shattering into a million pieces on impact. But then, the rocks suddenly stopped flying. Instead, a horn was sounded that echoed throughout the mountains.

"So, they've finally lost patience," Cadence said aloud. The two commanding officers by her side glanced at her as she had remained quiet since the battle began. "Move 80% of the unicorns away from the front lines," she ordered. "Make them think that the shield is at full power… I want them to believe that they have to go full force to break through."

The commanders nodded sharply and redirected the orders to the frontline. With quickness and discipline, they rearranged their formations and hid behind the bulwarks. When they were in position, only the humming from the few unicorns managing the shield could be heard, until it was drowned by the deafening sound of the Yak's charging down the mountain. Though Cadence was sure of her strategy, she couldn't help but be nervous about the outcome. Her, being more accustomed to solving conflicts rather than forcing them. This is it, she thought. The deciding moment of the battle.

As the Yaks was almost upon the shield, and the ponies bracing themselves for the impact, a shock wave made both the Yaks and the ponies tumble to the ground. Chaos ensued on both ranks and neither side knew what to do. But seconds later, a loud explosion following the shockwave, reached them, and they all jerked their head in its direction. Nopony (or Yak) cared then about the war and just peered at the mushroom cloud that rose into the sky. The Yaks losing all the will to fight.

* * *

Apple Frontier

* * *

The sun was high in the sky as they trotted next to the Ghastly Gorge. Apple Bloom glanced to the west, where the now abandoned Rock farm lay. Having been evacuated, along with any other small settlement and town, most of southern Equestria now lay empty. The war and the drought had affected them all and much of the green fields are now dry and brown coloured.

With all available Pegasi at the frontline, there wasn't much they could do about the weather. Only a small group of workers could be left to maintain favourable weather in the heart of Equestria. The rest of it simply had to wither away without the helpful hands of the pony race. Though, that's how it always been outside the pony domain. In the southernmost land, much like Everfree, nature did not abide by anypony's rules but its own. Yet, the south was withering, while Everfree was lush and green… She would never understand how that worked.

Many of the zebra refugees had found sanctuary with Zecora, in that forest, as nopony dare to enter it themselves. But food must have been scarce for they kept raiding the Equestrian supplies that were meant for the frontline. Even so, more refugees arrived every week. It had to stop. No matter how difficult the Zebras had it in their own lands, Applebloom would be damned if they brought their misfortune with them.

She had to get to the refugees before Zecora did.

Applebloom glanced around the gorge and was expecting an ambush at every turn. It was quiet, with not so much as bird squeaking in the distance. A cold sweat ran down her neck and she swallowed dryly from the heat.

At the corner of her vision, a flash of light blinded her, but she knew what it was, and she bellowed a command before the flasks broke by their hooves. Skilfully they put their masks on and formed a circle around Applebloom. A green fog spread around them as they waited for an attack, but none came.

As they waited, Applebloom had an ill-feeling and she removed her mask and smelled the air faintly. It was not harmful, she concluded. She peered her ears and she heard the clatter of hooves echo ahead of them. Applebloom frowned and drew breath. "Very clever, Zecora! But you'll not fool me twice. I'll get you for this!"

There came no response. And a few minutes later, the fog receded and they could see clearly again. She hunched down by the ground and saw their hoof marks in the dirt. She estimated about a hundred of them. Nothing they couldn't handle even if they managed to join forces with the untrained and unequipped refugees. "We continue onward," she roared and they picked up the pace.

After a few hours, they halted in an open field at the end of the Ghastly Gorge. At the horizon, they could see a line of white and black. They were many, she realised. But it didn't matter, her orders were to send them the other way, and that's what she intended to do.

As they approach in a three-row formation, she saw Zecora approach them alone, staring intently at them. "Zecora," Applebloom bellowed. "I'm only going to say this once. Turn back now and find refuge somewhere else. We have supplies that we last you through the desert if you choose to accept. I find that this is more than a reasonable demand. What do you say?"

"Ah, Apple Bloom. Much have changed with you I can see. Though, the so called, request is not something that we can proceed. We have a right to be in this land, and so do you. Leave us in peace and let us come through."

Applebloom grit her teeth and said. "If you hadn't noticed, we are in a war, Zecora. We can barely harbour our own refugees and all the resources goes to the war effort. Why can't you see that?"

Suddenly, a familiar voice came from the Zebra ranks "And why can't you see that they could be an asset, rather than a hindrance, Applebloom." The voice said, and a blond mare revealed herself from the crowd.

"Applejack!?" Applebloom exclaimed. "W-what are you doing here?"

Applejack looked sadly at her sister. "Applebloom… I don't know what is running through yours or Twilight's mind, but this has to stop! Can't you see how wrong this is?" She said pleadingly.

"No! It is you who don't understand, Applejack." Applebloom raised her hoof and the soldiers lowered their heads, ready to charge. "This is your last warning, Zecora. Stand down and leave this land."

The atmosphere tensed all around them and nopony moved or said anything. Suddenly, a roar that echoed around them made them turn their heads towards the source, and soon after, a shock wave made almost every pony topple to the ground.

Every pony and every zebra looked at each other then. Their disagreement put to the side as their hatred for each other was replaced with the fear of the unknown.


	7. Chapter 7 - Eclipse

Chapter 7

* * *

With a frown, Fancy Feathers watched as pillars of smoke rose between the ruins of Baltimare, supplies burnt by the pony army, leaving nothing for themselves. But it wasn't the waste in supplies that irritated him, but the smoke that covered the sky, ruining an otherwise nice day.

The pony vanguard had fought furiously despite the chaos that had ensued here, but it was nothing they couldn't handle. Not that he'd been worried to begin with, "she" had predicted their victory, after all. Hence here he was, to witness the rebirth of his ambition, something he thought he'd lost for sure after losing the battle over the Celestial Sea - I'll make sure to rename it after the war, he reminded himself.

Turning his attention away from the carnage at his claws, Fancy Feathers looked into the distance, recalling that there once was a mountain towering high somewhere in the west. Dust from the blast had yet to settle and still swirled around the countryside, turning the green landscape into a pale beige colour. It was hard to believe that somewhere beneath that cloud of dust lay a huge dragon, killed by Princess Twilight's magic. Such devastating power! It was fortunate she hadn't intervened in the war until today, he realised.

Sometimes he wondered if all of this was worth it, as he looked around the rubble. But although he hated the filth that was war and destruction, a devilish grin emerged from his beak as he sneered at the pony prisoners bound by their hooves around him. Their misfortune making him feel all the more satisfied.

For too long had the pony race hindered the Griffons from taking their rightful place in this world. He would be sure to make this the capital of the new world order, he thought, scanning his surroundings and imagining the splendour that he would create. The Griffon Kingdom had fared well during his reign, after all. The local economy flourished and much of the old castle, and most of the town, had been rebuilt to reflect their newly found wealth. Yet, he wanted more, nay, his kind needed more room to spread their wings. And so here they were, all thanks to "her" vision that had told about Celestia's death; he would've been the fool not to exploit such an opportunity. Yet, the war had dragged on and many Griffons had died during the course of the war, not to mention the despair he felt after losing Baltimare just a week ago. After the loss, he'd spent more time a sleep than he was awake, hoping the "she" would give him another sign - in his dreams. Well, he assumed it was a she, she sure sounded like one. Though, her appearance was a blur of darkness, perhaps "it" was a better description?

Walking amongst the rubble of the city, imagining the grandeur that would transform the city under his rule, something soft pressed under his claws. Below him, was a fallen Pegasus with a purple mane and a yellowish coat with blood still gushing from its forehead. Fancy Fathers noticed the pathetic size of the creature's wings and kicked the body to the side, wondering how it managed to ever become a soldier.

As the corpse was kicked aside, Fancy Fathers heard a threatening growl behind him. He turned and found one of the many bound ponies glowering at him. Irritably, he walked up to the mare and kicked her in the stomach. "Still having spirit, I see? Well, we'll see about that once we take you to my palace. Your attitude will change then."

Despite the hard kick that made the mare choke, her expression remained unchanged as Fancy Fathers continued down the road to one of his lieutenants; a big griffon with greying feathers and the supreme commander of his forces, only second to himself. The grey griffon snapped into attention when he noticed Fancy Feathers, his face remaining stern as if it was the only expression he could make.

"Has the city been fully annexed?" Fancy Fathers asked.

The stern looking griffon simply nodded in response and said. "There are some stranglers, but they will be dealt with soon enough."

"Good, good. What about the Princess? Have you found her?"

"I'm afraid she got away, sir, she —"

The faces of the ponies close by shone noticeably at hearing those words, cheering weakly amongst themselves. Fancy Feathers eyes flashed with anger and slapped the nearest pony within reach.

"So that's why you fought so viciously!…" he collected himself and lowered his voice again. "No matter, her powers are drained after the battle with the dragon. Princess Twilight is going to have to broker a favourable peace treaty if she doesn't want the war to escalate again. We might even get Filly Delphia and Manehattan too!"

The pony who got slapped looked in confusion at the griffon's words. "The-the dragon wasn't your doing?"

Fancy Fathers pinched her cheek and looked at her arrogantly and said. "Silly girl. Dragon's are highly unpredictable creatures. There is no dealing with them, there is nothing they want from us, after all."

"Your highness," the stern looking griffon called.

"Not now, I'm in the middle of something here."

Without permission the stern looking griffon grabbed Fancy Fathers by the shoulders and forced him to turn around. Fancy Feathers heart sank at what he saw. A vail of darkness was covering the land as the moon eclipsed the sun, creating an ominous shadow that spread along the ground until the sun was fully covered, turning day into night.

* * *

Back in Canterlot

* * *

Rainbow Dash peered out the window, watching a ring of fire engulfing the slightly smaller moon - suspended in the air and unmoving. The sky looked the same whether it was day or night but her heavy eyes told that it was well past midnight. Despite her tiredness, she couldn't bring herself to rest as ponies, born long after Luna's reformation, ran through the streets, celebrating the eclipse as a sign of Luna's return. But she knew better. What this meant for the war and all they've thought for, she didn't know. Thankfully, Cadence had returned to Canterlot to take over in Twilight's absence, as she still lay unconscious in her bedroom.

Rainbow Dash still recalled the day when Luna went missing after Celestia's death. She'd have kept raising and lowering the moon ever since, as if reassuring them that she was okay, but no more. Why now? What has changed? Perhaps it was just a sign that Luna would return, after all, knowing Twilight's distraught? One could only hope that'd be the case, but Rainbow Dash remained sceptical. She shook her head, trying to keep her dark gloomy thoughts at bay. Out of all the things she didn't have control over, Equestria's safety was one of them, no matter how hard she tried, there was always some kind of powerful being that could change everything.

In the distance, she heard hooves steps echo down the hallway and emerging from the faint torchlight on the wall came Sweetiebelle, her head drooping depressingly.

Speaking of things she didn't have control over… Rainbow Dash thought, her mind turning to Scootaloo.

Rainbow Dash met her halfway, awaiting Sweetiebelle's scolding, as she did everyday since they escaped.

Why did you let her leave, her eyes would say. Why didn't you stop her?

She was used to it by now. And if it was anypony else but her, she would simply escort her out of the castle. But out of respect for her deceased friend, she resisted the urge. Rainbow Dash steeled herself for Sweetiebelle's condemning gaze, but was surprised to meet just a blank expression. Somehow, this hurt even worse.

As Sweetibelle stayed silent and looked to the ground, Rainbow Dash took the initiative and asked. "How's Twilight?"

Sweetiebelle shook her head. "Still no improvement. It is as if she refuses to wake up."

"Well, the battle was hard on her. She used up a lot of magic."

"I would me more concerned about her emotional state," Sweetibelle retorted.

Rainbow Dash knew what she meant. Rarity's death was hard on everypony, now three more were lost, including Scootaloo, all on the same day. It felt unreal, her friends that she'd known much of her life all simply stopped existing so shortly after the other. It was as if her heart was unable to catch up as she felt nothing for their deaths. Or, perhaps, war had made her truly cold hearted?

Sweetibelle turned and looked out the window. "What do you make of this?" she said. Nodding towards the moon.

Rainbow Dash hesitated to discuss it. Feeling as if Sweetibelle avoid the conversation that they both surely needed, for practical reasons. Well, she would have none of it. If she'd have to be the bad guy, so be it. "I would have done the same if given another chance, you know?"

Sweetiebelle kept her face hiding in her mane, the gloomy light shadowing all her facial features. "I know what you're trying to do, Rainbow Dash. But I'm as much to blame as you. I let her go when I had her. I could have forced her… Anyway, it was her wishes after all. All she ever wanted was to impress you. Did you know that?"

Rainbow Dash's eyes began to well and her body trembled. The tears wouldn't stop flowing and she could barely keep herself from whimpering. With wide eyes, Sweetiebelle moved closer, fumbling between a hug and simply holding her, not knowing what to do. "I-I'm sorry… I didn't mean to—"

Rainbow Dash stomped on the floor, cracking the marble under her hoof. Sweetiebelle start in surprise and watched as Rainbow Dash rose to her legs. Now standing with her head tall, she took a full breath and then looked at Sweetibelle, her eyes still blurry from tears. Half expecting to be assaulted, Sweetiebelle whimpered as Rainbow Dash hugged her tightly with her one hoof. "We'll make it through this. We'll make it through this…"

Sweetiebelle mouth quirked and nuzzled her head into Rainbow Dash's chest. She was their pillar, she thought. They needed her strength.

* * *

Reverie

* * *

Days turned to weeks and the moon still refused to fall. The constant darkness took a toll on every pony, even with the mandatory sleep schedule, the lack of sunlight was making every pony sluggish and distant. At least the fighting had stopped, Rainbow Dash thought, while peering down from the balcony. She imagined both Princess Celestia and Princess Twilight standing in this spot, looking over their city - their kingdom.

Standing in revery, she turned her attention towards the gate as it creaked open with a great clang as the locks were detached. A frown formed on her face as she saw the banner of the Griffon Kingdom, a banner she had seen many times before during the war. It would be difficult, if not impossible to change how she felt about them, but, she still had to try; she knew that 'they' would, if given the opportunity for peace.

Turning around to leave the balcony, Rainbow Dash felt an urge to remain, to not deal with the problems to come. It was so unlike her and she snorted in frustration at her weakness. Yet she remind, gazing at the gloomy ball of dirt in the sky…There were only two reasons for the moon to still be up. Neither of those reasons boded well for anypony.

* * *

The Meeting

* * *

Making her way through the hall, Rainbow Dash tried to recall the speech that she'd prepared, but it was useless, it was already gone from her mind, overtaken by a million other concerns. It didn't matter, however, she would do as she always did and go with her instincts. They'd dressed her up in an elegant white and golden gown, the sort of dress she wouldn't put on in a million years. Yet here she was, wearing it, driving her crazy as she kept stepping on the fabric that dragged on the floor. They had insisted on her wearing it, Twilight's aids, and she'd been too tired to argue and accepted it. But now, she wished she'd stood her ground.

The corridor to the meeting hall seemed to stretch out for an eternity. The endless hallways that looked the same, bland and uninspired. It had been a much different story before the war, when the windows still were beautifully decorated and colourful. Rainbow Dash noticed ponies standing by the sideways as they walked, their heads bowed in respect. She knew that they were busy, yet they had stopped at their procession, acting as if she was a princess. She supposed she would have to get used to it, being a substitute for Twilight while she remained incapacitated. There was no telling how long she would be unconscious.

Among the servants standing patiently along the wall, Rainbow Dash noticed Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie with their heads raised high, meeting her gaze. They smiled at her and she smiled back, offering the only support they could before the big meeting. Their presence meant a lot to Rainbow Dash, making her feeling almost like old times when all six of them were together. But her grin soon faded as they went on, her expression turning stern as they approached the massive door that led to the meeting hall. It all depended on her now, and she had to be strong. Confronting her emotions was not a luxury she could afford.

Facing the door, she took a controlled breath and steeled herself to enter. But then she glanced at her lieutenant to her right and asked.

"What was the Griffon's name again?"

The guard narrowed his eyes and hissed. "Fancy Feathers."

Rainbow Dash nodded, understanding the guard's sentiment. She only hoped that she would be able to hide her feelings better than him. Taking another breath, she smashed open the door, much harder than she intended, as if she took out all the frustration on that one door. All heads in the room turned to her and she flinched and grit her teeth as the door crashed into the walls on each side.

"Of to a good start already," Rainbow Dash whispered to herself.

Trying to scuff of the mishap as intentional, she quickly collected herself and sat at the end of the table. She let her gaze fall on everyone of the attendees, assessing who they were. They were all here, she noted: Zecora and her Zebra delegates, Fancy Feathers, Ember, Spike, and… whatever the Yak Prince was called.

"Welcome," Rainbow Dash Began. "Welcome to Canterlot. I cannot express how relieved I'm that you're all here. The war have hurt all of us and we need to—"

"Where is Princess Twilight." The Yak interrupted.

Rainbow Dash turned towards the massive Yak. His fur hung like vines over his entire body and face, showing only his mouth and the ridiculously ornamented hat that they all seemed to wear.

"She's… unwell at this time. If there is anything you'd like to say you can—"

"Princess is powerful. I only talk to the powerful. That only reason I'm here."

Rainbow Dash grit her teeth, trying her best not to lash out at the rude Yak. Every Yak was rude, she recalled, and took another controlled breath. "Yes. She is powerful and as she is powerful, she can do whatever she wants, and she doesn't want to be here right now."

Impossible to see the emotional reaction of the Yak, he stood silently for longer than was comfortable and then sat down on the pillows, seemingly accepting this explanation. Before Rainbow Dash was able to continue, Fancy Feathers suddenly rose from his seat and said. "Excellent, most excellent! My dear, I can see why they choose you to represent the meeting. Your verbal command is most impressive and —"

Rainbow Dash raised her hoof, interrupting the griffon. "You are very kind, my lord. But your compliments are unnecessary… and unwelcomed," she said while staring intently at the griffon.

Fancy Feathers's met her gaze only for a second before looking down and sitting back on his seat. "Very well then…" he said. "Right to the point. I'm sure you've read the peace treaty and our terms to it?"

Glancing at one of her lieutenants, Rainbow Dash answered. "I have. And they are unacceptable."

Expecting the response, the griffon remained collected. "You do realise we have the upper hand and —"

"If I may interject," Ember suddenly said. "This is not why I came to this meeting. My and everyone else's concern, should be the moon blocking out the sun. And as for you having the "upper hand", what is to say that we, the dragon's, won't join forces with Equestria after today? What are your chances then, my lord?"

The griffon's beak moved as if he was going to retort but no words came out and he remained silent. Rainbow Dash cast a thankful gaze at Ember.

Suddenly, the Yak jumped up in excitement. "Yes. Yes! Why is this. Why sun no go up?"

Rainbow Dash glanced at Zecora, Ember and Spike. "I take it you're not familiar with the story then?" Rainbow Dash asked.

The Yak and the Griffon looked quizzically at each other. Rainbow Dash let out a short breath and said. "Many years ago, there was a rift between The Two Sisters, Luna and Celestia. Luna had been corrupted by her vanity and turned into a creature called 'Nightmare Moon'. She threatened to bring eternal darkness to the world but Celestia managed to seal her in the moon for a thousand years. A few decades ago, Luna had reformed thanks to my friends and I, but… after Celestia's death, Luna disappeared and we don't know what she's up to."

The Yaks face darkened, avoiding everyone's gaze. "What…What does she look like?"

Rainbow Dash was surprised by the grammatically correct sentence. "Sh—she looks very much like Luna, only darker, pitch black at places. She has fangs and serpent eyes. Her mane flows like a portal into the night sky."

The Yak kept frowning, and at the corner of Rainbow Dash's eyes, she could see Fancy Feathers Gawk with an open beak at the Yak. Her eyes flicked between them and said. "Is… Is there something you two wants to tell me?"

As the Yak was about to speak, Rainbow Dash could see how the Griffon reached out his claws to try and stop what the Yak was going to say, but something inside him made him stop and his claw fell back to his lap, the Griffon staring at the wooden table. "Me think I seen the Moon Princess."

Every pony rose from the table, expect the Griffon, who remained seated. "How? When?!" Rainbow Dash asked.

"She show herself when I sleep. Told me the ponies were going to attack us. Told me we should attack first."

"It can't be…" Rainbow Dash turned her attention to the Griffon. "You knew about this as well. She told you about Celestia's death, didn't she?"

The Griffon just nodded, refusing to say anything more.

It all made sense now. All that had happened had been part of Nightmare Moon's plans, to weaken Equestria, to get rid of… Twilight. Suddenly, feeling her gut clench nervously, she looked to the door and tried to open it. But as she touched it, her hooves was blocked by black magic surrounding the door. The Unicorn guards rose to their hooves and tried to counteract it, but it was no use. Suddenly, a black fog began to seep from between the gaps in the door, slowly covering the entire floor. Everyone dashed to their feet, some jumping on to the table while others tried to break the door by force. It was utter chaos.

This can't be happening, Rainbow Dash thought. She'd been Nightmare Moon all along. So much suffering, because of her. She could feel her mind swirling, unable to make a cohesive thought. Everyone began to stagger in the room, their consciousness slipping away. She could hear a menacing chuckling, somewhere in the distance, but also somehow around her. But as her eyes were heavy and the fog reached her neck, the door suddenly blast open. The two parts of the door crashed through the window and the fog began to clear around them as fresh air gushed inside. At the entrance, Twilight stood peering at the scene, her friends rushing inside and dragging every pony out with Pegasi using their wings to remove the rest of the fog.

Regaining her senses, Rainbow Dash came to her hooves and watched as Twilight stood proudly at the door. But as her vision began to clear, she realised something was wrong, as Twilight's body twitched with sparks of magic flaring through her body. Everything went so fast then. They hurried through the castle out on the yard, ignoring the screams and panic around them. Hastily gathered supplies were thrown into carriages and they left through the back door of the castle, leaving Canterlot and its citizens behind to fend for themselves.


	8. Chapter 8 - On the Run

Chapter 8

* * *

As the thickness of the forest became denser and denser, they had to leave the carriages behind and carry everything they needed on their backs - including Twilight. The battle with Fiurion had taken more of a toll on her body than they realised, making it impossible for Twilight to walk more than a few miles on her own. But, whenever she did, their spirits were lifted for the very fact that she was alive made them hopeful for the future. She was their friend, their ruler and their god, even though she was unable to perform her duties as the former. Rainbow Dash remembered clearly when, after three days on the run, Twilight made an attempt to set the sun in motion once again. But as she concentrated the power to her horn, her body began to twitch; sparks of light flared all over her body, making her spasm uncontrollably on the ground. Twilight had slept for 18 hours that day. It was clear that she needed more time to rest. She'll be able to do it time, though, Rainbow Dash was certain.

In the first few days of their escape, reports of Nightmare Moon's conquest of Equestria poured their way. That she'd invaded the minds of the citizens, brainwashing the weak and denying sleep to those that resisted. But the reports were scarcer now, proving that her conquest was almost at a completion. For a time, the Crystal Empire was the only pony force that was strong enough to resist, but even they had to admit defeat as there was nothing they could do to hinder Nightmare Moon to enter their dreams. They just hoped Cadence and Shining Armour was okay.

Along in their escape, The Yak prince and the Griffon King joined their forces until they decided they needed to return to their own lands, understandably concerned for their own realms. But it was fair to assume that their kingdoms fared better than Equestria as it seemed that Nightmare Moon was only able to infect the minds and dreams of ponies, and only ponies; at least to the extent to corrupt their minds. Hence, the other kingdoms remained outside Nightmare Moon's influence - for now. Both the Yak and Fancy Feathers promised to support Twilight if she ever tried to take back her throne. But Rainbow Dash remained sceptical of this, wondering how much the promise of a Griffon and a Yak was worth.

Ember had stayed with them for a while longer, as well, before she too returned to her people. But as a show of good faith, and a promise, she left Spike with the Bloodmoon Sceptre in their care as the Sceptre was the only thing that allowed them all to sleep soundly at night. Whether it was a stroke of luck or if Twilight had prepared for this outcome, there was no doubt Twilight had a plan as they journeyed through the Everfree Forest, to the Castle of the Two Sisters.

* * *

Mind of a Zebra

* * *

With the sky darkened and the forest growing densely around them, the only thing lighting their path was the spells cast by the Unicorn guards and the glowing plants that were sometimes found in the depths of the forest. Rainbow Dash remembered the many times they've traversed this forest, monsters and large beast seemingly sprawling around at every corner back then. But as they now journeyed their second day inside the forest without encountering a single obstacle, it was clear that the forest could be traversed safely if you knew where to look. Walking a few metres behind Zecora, it did not surprise Rainbow Dash that she'd been able to live in the forest for such a long time, nor that she'd been able to harbour so many refugees, considering her skill.

The war had turned them apart, but Rainbow Dash couldn't stay mad at Zecora for her rebellious actions against Equestria. After all, not a single death had been the result of raids against their caravans, nor had their forces suffered complete starvation from the Zebra rebels disrupting the supply lines; as if Zecora knew exactly how much to take and leave behind, all along.

Picking up the pace, Rainbow Dash walked up to Zecora and said. "You certainly know your way around the gloom, Zecora."

Without stopping to peer ahead, Zecora said. "The forest has its own ways, and if one is able to listen, one may find a path that's not astray."

Rainbow Dash smiled, trying to figure out where she was looking. "Makes sense that you of all ponies would know, considering how long you've lived here."

Ignoring Rainbow Dash, Zecora cast a glance to her left and held her gaze for a few seconds before turning and heading in the opposite direction. Rainbow Dash tried to pinpoint where she'd been looking, trying to figure out what had made Zecora turn the other way. But what she found was the prattling if leaves, jittering as if some pony tried to stay hidden in the foliage "I've had help," Zecora finally said, after making sure that the whole party was following her.

"So it seems… Is your base nearby?"

"A camp is very close, but we are many and we choose to stay separate in fear of our foes."

Feeling there is still slight tension, Rainbow Dash chose not to ask any further about their numbers and how they managed to survive in this harsh jungle. "Will we visit one of these camps on our way?"

Zecora remained silent for a few seconds before answering, as if considering her words carefully. "The ponies have been at war for a long time and there is no reason to think that anything has changed despite the predicament we've found. The Zebra kind chooses to remain hidden for a while longer, to see what will happen when the purple princess grows stronger."

Rainbow Dash nodded. She was just happy that Zecora agreed to help them, they'll manage on their own. As they journeyed deeper into the forest, the party grew silent, every pony being deep within their own contemplation. But suddenly, they heard a loud noise nearby, making Rainbow Dash turn around to see what was going on. Behind her, she saw Applejack and Applebloom walking and talking, their smiles as wide as their faces. It had been a happy noise and it warmed Rainbow Dash's heart that the two sisters talking again.

Zecora, however, seemed unaffected and nopony would have noticed the quirk at the edge of her mouth if Rainbow Dash hadn't been nearby. Making herself grin even wider. Perhaps things can go back to the way they used to.

* * *

Responsibilities of a godess

* * *

Magic shot through her nerves as every step felt like a challenge and Twilight tried to hide her pained expression whenever the spark ran through her body. She'd overdone it, that time. Her emotions running wild until she saw only revenge in her future, caring not for anything else. It had been her weakest moment and she'd paid the price, limping around as she did, unable use magic at all anymore. Hopefully, it was temporary.

Feeling physical exhaustion fused with her disability, she was unable to suppress a grunt as she descended down a small slope in their way. She didn't have to look up to know that every pony around her cast worrying glances at her. She couldn't stand meeting their gazes and even though they were eyes of worry, all she saw was disappointment. Celestia had given her the responsibility and she'd betrayed all of them. And now, Nightmare Moon was at large… just as she'd feared.

From the moment Twilight saw the hateful eyes that night at Celestia's deathbed, she'd feared that Nightmare Moon would return. That the witch had tried to draw her out, to expend her power in the war, had been increasingly clear as more and more enemies arose. She'd done everything she could to not get involved and fall into her trap, but it wasn't enough. The death of Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie had driven her mad with anger and she'd fallen into her trap.

Risking to face their disappointed gazes, Twilight lifted her neck and met the expression of the two friends she'd thought had died not long ago. Their smiles offered warmed her heart and filled her with determination to keep on going. Further ahead of the party, Twilight cast a thankful look at Spike who was hovering over their heads, surrounded by a yellowish magic shield, sleeping. Twilight couldn't help but chuckle to herself how ridiculous it all looked, Spike, laying floating in the air with his limbs stretched out and the Bloodmoon Sceptre grabbed tightly around his chest. He was their only protection against the witch invading their dreams, so it was imperative that he'd be allowed his rest while the others were awake.

Keeping her gaze at the bubble, Spike began to move. With a breath of relief, Twilight signalled the party to stop, allowing Spike to be lowered to the ground. It was time to rest. While every pony else set up camp in the meadow, Spike looked awkwardly around himself, realising himself how ridiculous he looked. Twilight walked up to him. "Good morning, Spike. Had a good rest?"

"Good night, Twilight. Yes, it was nightmare free."

Spike looked around to see how far they'd come, but his surroundings looked the same, making him wonder if they've made any progress at all. "It's going to be weird going back to the castle again," Spike said. "Especially now when Nightmare Moon is back. Why do we need to go back there, anyway?"

"It's where everything began, it's only fair that this will be the place to end it."

"So, Nightmare Moon will be there? What do you plan to do?"

"You'll see, Spike. You'll see," she said, walking towards the tent set up for her. Wearily, she laid down on the mattress with Spike placing himself in the corner of the tent. His eyes burned with questions, but he knew that Twilight was more exhausted than anyone, and did not pursue. But Twilight noticed his yearning for answers and said. "What do you want to ask me?"

"What did Celestia really say to you, before her death?"

Resting her head on the pillow, she stared at the tent wall and said. "It's not what she told me, but what she showed me:

* * *

Revelations Long Ago

* * *

"No! it can't be true," Luna yelled, walking back and forth in a cramped room. "He was there our entire lives. I don't even remember a time without him, but… he couldn't be—" unable to say the word out loud, Celestia finished her sentence.

"… our father. He may as well be, considering he was the closest thing to a parent. It says so, right here," Celestia said, presenting an open journal with Starswirl the Bearded's name on it.

Luna refused to look at it. "That's preposterous! I mean, what about our cutie marks? Was that part of his plan too? Was everything just a calculated act?" As if hit by a sudden realisation, Luna staggered. "Oh Tartarus… what does that make us?"

Letting the journal hover in front of Luna's face, forcing her to acknowledge what was written. "I don't care that he created us. Nothing has changed because of it. We ought to be grateful he did. We play an important part in Equestria so that other ponies doesn't have to be sacrificed instead."

"But… but, we were supposed to be special, the last of our tribe! When in reality… we are the first."

"Well… that makes us extra special, doesn't it?" Celestia said, moving closer to her sister, finally putting away the journal.

"What about this third mark on the tree then? It was his creation too. Are you still going to look for this pony?"

Hitting the nail on the head, Celestia felt a pang of conflicting feelings. It had been a personal quest for her to find this mysterious pony, taking in apprentices in every new generation. It had been her destiny, of sorts, to find this pony, but now, her quest somehow felt besmirched by what they knew. Realising exactly how Luna felt, Celestia put on a brave face and said. "Of course… As I said, nothing has changed. I'll continue to search for her and prepare her to the best of my abilities, just like he did for us."

"I can't believe how calm you are. Don't you feel betrayed in the least? We were fooled all this time. Every conversation, every advice, every obstacle we'd faced with him, it was all calculated. Everything, a lie…"

Preventing her sister from saying anything more, she embraced Luna tightly. "I know, we should create something that's ours and only ours."

"What are you talking about?"

"Our own language"

"Celi, we aren't children anymore."

No, I mean it! Let me start… _Senhaza Noucillo_

Unexpectedly, a chuckle escaped Luna. "What does that mean?"

"I'll always be there for you, sister."


	9. Chapter 9 - Final Confrontation

Final Chapter

* * *

A mist grew around them as they approached the castle. The drawbridge was still there but the castle was still in ruin and unused. It surprised Rainbow Dash that the Zebra's hadn't occupied it as it provided excellent defence over the ravine. But as they moved closer, it became clear why they'd left it alone. The ruin was ominous, especially now when they knew that Nightmare Moon was at large. It made her feel like the very first time when they faced off against Nightmare Moon and acquired the Elements of Harmony. Of course, they were now unable to use them without Rarity… Rainbow Dash quirked her mouth as she recalled when Rarity had been hunting for tapestries in these ruins. She'd even replaced some of them just because she couldn't stand seeing them in tatters.

But her reverie was cut short as their party stopped by the gate that barely hung by its hinges. Twilight rose from being carried and walked up to Rainbow Dash. All her friends gathered around her and they cast one last look of confidence at each other before heading into the ruins.

As they expected, in the throne room, Nightmare Moon stood staring down at them with her serpent eyes. "How gracious of you to come alone, Twilight. Is what I would have said. I didn't imagine you still needed your friends despite my sister's powers. The battle with that beast must have been too much for you."

Spike leaned forward and pointed the Sceptre at her. "YOU! You summoned Fiurion to our lands, didn't you?"

"Of course! It was a gamble, however. Wouldn't want the beast to ravage my kingdom too much. It was all Twilight's fault, really. It was the only way to have her come out. Even when I turned every race against her she still wouldn't reveal herself. Have my sister's powers finally gotten to your head?"

"Funny, that you of all people would say that none ironically." Twilight sneered.

"Hmph. I'm merely myself again, nothing more. Enough with the chatter. Have you come to surrender or do you intend to fight me? You don't look too good, to be honest."

"No. I'm not here to fight, nor do I intend to surrender."

"Oh, Twilight. Got some plan, do you? Well, I have to admit, you made it difficult for me. Not that turning everyone around you to your enemy was difficult. It pained me, however, that I had to sacrifice so many of my precious subjects to get what's mine. Just admit defeat, Twilight. I'll be a just ruler, I promise."

Grinning widely and showing her pointy teeth, Nightmare Moon's eyes scanned the six friends until she met Rainbow Dash's fiery gaze. Intrigued, Nightmare Moon transformed her neck into a fog and stretched her body inches from Rainbow Dash's face. "What FIRE you have in your eyes, Rainbow Dash. You really want to kill me… You're kinda cute like that. Too bad you have those awful things in your mouth. We'll have to fix those when I take over, don't you worry."

Rainbow Dash turned and tried to bash Nightmare Moon with her back hooves, but she'd already stretched back and chuckled as she did. Twilight went in between them, looking with bleary eyes and said. "She loved you, you know. She believed in you to her very last moment."

Nightmare Moon's condescending expression suddenly changed, darting her eyes nervously, as if Twilight's words had a greater meaning.

Twilight took a breath and simply whispered in a strange language. "Senhaza Noucillo"

Nightmare Moon's eyes widen for a second, before she squinted her eyes again and her body began to tremble. Soon, tears flowed uncontrollably and she crumbled on the stone floor. Like a child, she hid her face with her front legs and moved her back legs into a fetal position. Every pony but Twilight gawked at what they saw as Nightmare Moon's form slowly receded, her serpent eyes and fangs disappearing - but never fully. Her form flickered between the witch and Luna, as if neither refused to take precedence. But after a few moments, her shrieks turned to wailing, and then to sobs, leaving with them a much smaller, less dark coloured mare crumbled on the floor. Luna was back.

Seeing her transformation, all six of them rushed towards her to try and see if she was okay. But what met their gaze was not the kind, soft, eyes they expected, but a serpent's. With a mix of the royal voice (Luna had learned many millennia ago) and the whimpering of a child, trying to speak at the same time, she said. "Please, take me to the Tree of Harmony."

Hesitantly, they carried her down the ravine until she faced the tree. The mark of Luna, Celestia and Twilight was engraved on the side of it. Only Celestia's mark glowed from its trunks. On her haunches, Luna breathed heavily trying to suppress her emotions. She glanced over her shoulder and with a glint in her eyes, she said. "Goodbye, dear friends. I'll hurt you no more."

Before anypony could stop her, Luna shot a beam of light through her horn, sucking out all the colours in her coat until only a grey shell of a body remained. In return, Luna's mark lit up on the trunk, shining back at every pony as they came to the realisation that she was gone.

* * *

 _What Happens Now?_

* * *

Walked alone through the old castle, Twilight glanced around the many contraptions that had scared her friends so the first time they explored the place; the trapdoor in the throne room, the hidden chambers and holes in the eyes of the paintings for spying… she would always remember Luna as the kind, fun-loving, guardian of Equestria, rather than its destroyer despite all the horror she'd caused. It wasn't difficult to imagine what ran through Luna's mind before she decided to end her life: longing to see her sister again and the remorse for hurting her subjects for the second time must have been too much for her. It was only one way this could have ended, Twilight kept telling herself.

Enjoying the solitude and the opportunity to collect her thoughts, Twilight walked aimlessly among the ancient structures. Most of her powers had returned after several weeks of rest, though she still felt her body tremble whenever she used demanding spells such as teleportation. Because of this, all her meetings had been spent in bed during the restoration of her kingdom that still went on. The Griffons, after Ember's threats, decided to abandon all they aspirations for conquest and had returned all the land they took - making no pony the victor.

Walking through the gloom of the castle, Twilight squinted her eyes as she went outside, the sun's rays blinding her temporarily. It was a strange sight, seeing both the moon and the sun hover next to each other, lighting one part of the world and darkening the other. Although, she could move them both, with much strain to her body, she'd decided to have them remain for the time being; the choosing of the new celestial sisters not to be taken lightly.

Watching the two celestial bodies unmoving, as if Luna and Celestia stared down at her, Twilight noticed Cadence approaching from behind. Twilight offered a smile as Cadence walked up next to her, the smile vanishing seconds later as they stood silently and stared ahead. "Have you come to a decision?" Twilight asked.

Remaining silent for a few moments longer, as if still contemplating her options, Cadence answered. "If what you're saying is true, that any Alicorn can move any celestial body if they choose to, I would prefer moving the sun but I think you should make the decision."

Twilight frowned, expect such an answer. "Let's head on down," Twilight said, remaining silent until they were a fair bit down the ravine. "Destiny is something you create for yourself," she said, "my mentor taught me this. It rings true to my ears since she, if anypony, had experience in the matter."

"You mean about Starswirl? What a fascinating man. We cannot understand what he was. But if what's written is true, then we have much to thank him for."

Indeed, Twilight thought. Not only the very existence of Celestia and Luna, but everything they held dear and true; The Elements of Harmony and The Tree of Harmony… He was able to travel through time so it was safe to assume he prepared everything for them, making her wonder what a future would look like without Starswirl's hoof in it. He must have had his reasons to intervene. But, in the end, they'd have to choose for themselves what they wanted to do.

"You read the whole report, then?" Twilight asked.

"About the second option? Yes. But it's not really an option, is it? We can't ask 10 Unicorns to sacrifice themselves when we can do it."

"True. But what is the cost of war compared to 10 unicorns losing their magic every decade or so?"

"What do you mean?"

Twilight gave Cadence a quizzical look, asking herself if she really needed to spill it out for her. "Whoever gets to control the moon may very well turn evil again. It wasn't simply jealousy that made Luna transform into Nightmare Moon, after all."

"Light and darkness always at odds…"

Twilight nodded.

Finally realising the gravity of her choice, Cadence remained silent until they stood facing the Tree of Harmony at the bottom of the ravine. Alicorns were the only ones that could control the sun and the moon without an immediate risk, but the moon corrupts the wielder when they are at their weakest. Equally, wielding both the moon and the sun at the same time, physically drained the life force out of Celestia until she didn't have much time left. It seemed that there were only sacrifices to be had to be had to keep the world spinning…

Then, hit with a realisation, Twilight asked with a smile. "How is your daughter? Is she learning to keep her powers in check?"

Not expecting the question at a time like this, Cadence stammered. "She… huh… she's doing fine, thank you. She'd matured tremendously after the experience with Nightmare Moon and she is practising with her father in the Crystal Empire, at the moment."

"Good, good…" Twilight said, turning her attention back to the tree. If new Alicorns were born through birth and merit, perhaps the future isn't so glum, after all?

With renewed hope and vigour, Twilight stepped closer to the tree and shouted. "I believe Starswirl set up this world for a reason. He did not lead us this far to let us fall into despair. I will take up the mantel as Equestria's protector until the day comes when I'm no longer needed." She said staring back at Cadence who was taken aback by her hopeful demeanour. But it was hard not to be effectuated and she smiled back and approached the tree, determined to create a better future for all ponies of Equestria.


End file.
